cinephile-27690 3 years after American Beauty, Sam Mendes brings us Road To Perdition-which I personally think is even better. And this is the best Tom Hanks movie, or for any other actor in this movie. In a way, this is a lot LIKE American Beauty. If you read my review of it, you know I give that a 10 because it has a moral with a man who has a desire to do something amoral, and it makes you want to be the opposite. Road, on the other hand, is about a man who does what is wrong for a living and he himself wishes he could be the opposite. In case you don't know, Perdition is a word of going to Hell. Hanks's character kills for a living, and there is a scene where a co-worker says that you can't go to Heaven if you do this job. So Hanks, therefore, is headed for Hell for his actions. But it's his cross to bear. What else is there to say? The acting is great, and so is everything else. Few movies I have seen are this compelling. I should also mention if you are going to watch it-actually WATCH it! I missed a scene and it ended up being the most essential scene to the plot! Also, my Grandma kept asking questions because she was on her Tablet. And I missed a few lines because of that. So watch it and enjoy! Tom Hanks is on the Road To Perdition, but the movie will take you on a road to paradise!

FilmBuff1994 Road to Perdition is a fantastic movie with a very well developed plot and a tremendous cast. It is a deeply engaging film from beginning to end as we follow a devoted father and husband seeking revenge on those who killed his father and son. The relationship that develops between Michael and his other, surviving son is powerful and heart wrenching, as we are at a constant concern for their safety. I did find that it moved a little slowly at times. This is not a huge issue, but I simply felt it did not pick up the pace at certain points. The performances are all around fantastic, Tom Hanks is completely immersed in to this role that is unlike anything else I have seen him in. He owns this dark, dreary character from beginning to end. Tyler Hoechlin is also very engrossed in to his character, certainly being one of the most impressive child stars I have seen in any film or TV show, with the likes of Paul Newman, Daniel Craig and Ciarán Hinds also bringing in top notch acting. Powerful and uplifting. Beautifully acted and edge of your seat suspense, I would recommend Road to Perdition to anyone looking for a good drama or thriller. A hitman seeks revenge on his family's killers along with his surviving son. Best Performance: Tom Hanks

Behnam azizi Th cinematography was excellent. The movie starts with amazing scene of a boy biking on a snowy road that is still white on the surface but dark and dirty where it lies on the cruel and unfair streets of the city. The boy, However, keeps biking all infant and unaware until it gets dark and darker after that dark night he observed what is hiding beneath the question his brother asked "what is father's job". He started to realize it in a very difficult way which was also the only way to find it completely. The only way that could lead to that bright white light came in from the open window by the sea at the end.The story was brilliant. I think it was all about the young boy, not his father and not the mafia and not the hardworking of a man who tries to keep his son safe. It was the path that the boy experienced in such a way that he could finally say: I have never touched a gun after that. From the white and light sense of the snow to the bright light coming from the open window by the see "Road to Perdition" is the story of finding the true redemption in life, even when you have no time, and it seems that you are no fit for it anymore.Acting was priceless. Well, from a movie with Tom Hanks and Paul Newman together, You will expect nothing but the best in the matter of acting. And those brilliant stars of the history of the cinema didn't disappoint us. Jude Law and Daniel Craig has also shown an amazing performance to complete the best acting you can expect from a movie.However, I must say the writing (scenario) could be much better, there was some unnecessary plots like long walking in hotel floors and far shots. At the other hand, there could be more focus on better character development for John Rooney fro example.The directing could be much better as well. That scene of murdering John Rooney and his companions, For instance, was awfully far from what one can expect from a bitter unfortunate goodbye between a "son and father" like legend(in a bad way however).Cinematography:9/10 Story:9/10 Acting:10/10 writing:7/10 Directing:7/10Overall: 8/10

jaredpahl I had a largely mixed reaction to Sam Mendes' sophomore effort, Road to Perdition. The tale of family betrayal and loyalty is an exceptionally well crafted film, populated with a quartet of fantastic performances, and packed with visual style. However, the film's incessant somberness and poor central performance weigh these great elements down. Taken together, Road to Perdition's pros outnumber and overpower its cons, leading to a solid whole.Road to Perdition follows the interconnected Rooney mob family of Chicago in 1931. Michael Sullivan is a mob enforcer, who, as an orphan, was taken in by the patriarch of the mob, John Rooney (Paul Newman). When Sullivan's own son, Michael Jr.(Tyler Hoechlin), witnesses one of his father's mob hits, Rooney takes steps to silence his own extended family.The story is a gripping one. The surface layer plot involving a cat and mouse chase between Sullivan and his son, John Ronney's son Connor (Daniel Craig) and a hired henchman named Maguire (Jude Law) through the Prohibition Era Midwest, is intensely exciting. What's more is that beneath the surface of Road to Perdition lies a poignant family drama. The tension between Rooney's blood and adopted children is palpable, as is the cold distance between Sullivan and his son. The movie is a feast of father and son drama, and it tackles the issues it raises from every possible angle. Road to Perdition is one of the most insightful movies I've seen on the relationships of sons and the men they look up to.The big themes of Road to Perdition stand out thanks to four major performances from Hanks, Craig, Law, and Newman. Hanks is a fine anchor for the story as a distant father who's instinct drives him to do anything to protect his son. Craig's jealous mob heir is a compelling screen presence, who is both empathetic and completely remorseless. It may be the blonde Bond's best performance ever. Jude Law is equally affecting as the hit-man with a thing for photographing dead (or dying) bodies. As good as these performances are, the big scene-stealer is Newman. Even with a limited amount of time on screen, his John Rooney is a commanding figure torn between the lives of his two sons. I can't imagine anyone else in the role, and without him the movie would not have near the impact it does.I should mention the performance that doesn't work, and it's a big one. Tyler Hoechlin is miscast as the protagonist, and for a story that requires him to balance screen time with Tom Hanks, his acting just doesn't cut it. Hoechlin is totally out of place as a Prohibition Era adolescent with his chiseled jawline and budding good looks, as well as his contemporary speech pattern. I never believed Hoechlin in the era, or even as a normal kid. He is so abnormally handsome (Something that makes him perfect as Superman in the Supergirl TV Show) that the seed of the performance he does give is rendered useless. Nothing about him seems genuine, and that almost dooms the entire film.Luckily, Road to Perdition's lush visual style and overflowing craftsmanship overpower the Hoechlin performance. Thanks to Mendes, cinematographer Conrad Hall, and a cast of other talented collaborators, every shot of Road to Perdition is a triumph of lighting, set design, and cinematography. The deep shadows, inventive camera angles, and artistic art direction are all evocative of the graphic novel from which the story is based. The film is an absolute marvel to look at -- a rich, heightened world of fedoras, tommy guns, and rain that comes down in buckets. Mendes' direction is also more than admirable. The scenes of suspense rival the best of Coppola or the Coen brothers, and the shootouts are frenetic, exciting, and tense as all Hell. There are a few shots here that are masterpieces of staging -- literal works of moving art.Sam Mendes has enjoyed an interesting career, coming out of the gate with a modern masterpiece and slowly transforming into a 007 fixture. Road to Perdition lands somewhere in between the sharp suburban drama of American Beauty and the mature action of Skyfall. Mendes can't help but lather on the drama in Road to Perdition, and often it is too much. Sometimes you just want the film to play the family dynamics straight, without the unnecessary flairs, specifically in the dialogue. Even with flaws that would sink most pictures, Road to Perdition continually succeeds in telling what is a genuinely engaging story. Taken on a scene-by-scene basis, Road to Perdition has enough Oscar-caliber performances and cinematography to lesson the impact of the miscast lead and relentlessly somber tone. There's a Hollywood classic lying somewhere inside Road to Perdition, and even if it never fully lives up to its potential, it is still an incredibly stylish and exciting father and son story.74/100