Dir. Sam Mendes (trailer)
Based on the graphic novel, Road to Perdition is a gritty gangster film that takes a unique look at Depression Era mob outfits located around the midwest. Starring Tom Hanks as family man Michael Sullivan, an enforcer for a local mob boss John Rooney (Paul Newman) who winds up hitting the road with his eldest son to fight for their lives.
With less action than your typical gangster film, Road to Perdition still has plenty of tommy guns and bank robberies, but at a more subdued level thanks to Tom Hanks' nuanced performance as a man trying to set things right. After Sullivan's eldest son Michael Jr. witnesses a mob hit, the Sullivan's lives are turned upside down. Sullivan begins robbing the banks holding the mafia's money to hit them where it hurts while trying to stay one step ahead of the sociopathic Harlen MacGuire (Jude Law), a crime scene photographer hired by Rooney to track the Sullivans down and kill them.
There are scenes of compassion throughout the film as Sullivan bonds with his son, teaching him how to drive the get away car. The pair also seek shelter from an elderly couple without children, who they leave hefty piles of money to repair their farm.
I highly recommend this film to fans of gangster movies and those who enjoy period piece dramas.
Rating: ★★★★☆
Recommended for fans of: drama, Billy Bathgate (1991), The Untouchables (1987) , historical/period pieces, Gangs of New York (2002)
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