Starring Tom Hanks, Tyler Hoechlin, Paul Newman, David Craig, Jude Law, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Stanley Tucci, Dylan Baker, Liam Aiken. Directed by Sam Mendes. Mike Sullivan (Hanks) is a loyal, hardworking mid-west man. He was adopted by the town patriarch Mr. Rooney (Newman), and does his dirty work. That dirty work includes performing hits on those who get in the way of business. Mr. Rooney's actual son Connor (Craig) is a immature, trigger-happy man, jealous of his father's love for Mike. Living in depression soaked 1931, Mike has a nice home and car, things he wouldn't have if it weren't for Mr. Rooney. His wife (Leigh) and two kids Peter (Aiken) and Mike Jr. (Hoechlin) live well despite the times. Mike Jr. is curious where his dad goes at night, and so he hides in the car and follows him and Connor on a job. Things go wrong and Connor needlessly blows a man away, and Mike is forced to machinegun the rest of the man's men away. Mike Jr. saw the whole thing. He's shaken and Mike Sr. is fearful of the ramifications. Connor decides on his own to kill the kid, and goes to Mike's family home. He kills wife and son Peter, mistaking him for Mike Jr. Both men are forced to go on the run to protect themselves, and they spend several weeks getting to know one another while teaching Mike Jr. to drive the car, robbing corrupt banks of their mob money, planning revenge and trying to avoid being caught by a photographer/hitman (Law) sent to put Mike Sr. away. This is Sam Mendes' second film after the hugely successful American Beauty, and he has created another stylish, entertaining relationship movie. It certainly is a grim, dark gangster film like the Godfather saga, but the film is not just an excuse for violence and bloodshed. The movie is about sons and their fathers. It's about sons wondering what their fathers do when they go off to work each day. It's about fathers not wanting their sons seeing the corrupt things they do to earn a living, and hoping the sons can avoid the mistakes they have made. It's about trying to raise sons with a sense of values and being especially heartbroken when they fail miserably. And its about men so involved with their work they hardly know their sons. Mr. Rooney Sr. comments that sons are put on this earth to torment their fathers, and his son breaks his heart. Mike Sullivan fares better with his. The performances are quite good. Tom Hanks becomes a bad guy for the first time, and turns in another outstanding performance. He is able to convincingly portray both the ruthlessness and humanity within Mike Sullivan. One of the best scenes involves Mike realizing what a club owner is about to do and with no hesitation shoots two men before they get him. Paul Newman magnificently portrays the hurt Rooney experiences in knowing how unworthy his son is. Young Tyler Hoechlin, the story's narrator, is very capable and holds his own well with Hanks. Jude Law, a fine actor, is far too cartoonish here, not fitting in with the sombre tone of the film or with the other actors. He'd be fine in O Brother Where Art Thou, but this is not a comedy. The movie deals with potentially deep issues, and it adopts a weighty tone virtually throughout. But as with the excellent American Beauty, it is also about looking good. Every detail of the film has been painstakenly thought out. The burnished browns and golds of the film, the operatic scenes of violence, the predominant use of shadows, the driving rain and predominance of water. Mendes was a admirer of Billy Wilder, and he attended his birthday party before Wilder passed away. Wilder was a master at creating financially successful films, with a glib sense of dark comedy and social commentary. His films contained a cynical edge but there was always an underlying optimism for something better. Mendes in interviews has made no bones about his twin desires in creating art and commerce. Like Wilder, he has been criticized for pulling his punches, for not fully following through with the dark themes and issues he presents to allow for more crowd pleasing plot turns. In both ,American Beauty and Road To Perdition, loose ends are neatly tied up and there is a feel-good ending, despite the ostensibly negative result in each. I loved American Beauty, and while Road To Perdition is as well constructed and beautifully shot, I didn't like it as much. Part of the reason I think is because so much effort was put towards style and contriving the story to Mendes desired ends, there wasn't as much heart in this film - it did connect with as much emotionally. And it is no Godfather either. Nevertheless, Road To Perdition is a well-performed, entertaining film, far better than most summer fare and well-worth seeing. If you would like to respond, please click the E-Mail Press Here To Go To The Review List Page