Rating: 
Summary: Well done film with troubling content.
Review: First of all, I admit that I did not want to see this film at the theatre or when it was released to video. I went out of my way not to see it. Then it was on cable and I began to watch it one day and then saw the whole movie another time it was on. It began to appeal to me as did the Shawshank Redemption and the Green Mile. Both told stories of brutality and cold blooded killers. But all of these movies have a common thread... redemption. This movie will not appeal to those who must have their 3rd cup of coffee before going to work and the Mountain Dew crowd who need a caffeine shot in the morning. This movie is a slower paced film and requires a little patience to get into the characters and who they are. It doesn't start with an action scene.Mike Sullivan is an indebted man. He works for the local mobster, John Rooney. Mr. Rooney ruthlessly runs the ficticious town of Perdition, Iowa. His son, Connor Rooney, has ambition to replace his father soon. When John Rooney kills the brother of one of his employees and throws the dead brother a wake, things began to change. Michael Sullivan Jr watches his father and Connor gun down several men in a warehouse. The boy is told to keep his mouth shut. But Connor convinces his father that the boy is a danger and he and his family must die. Mike Sullivan knows something is wrong when he is sent to collect an unpaid debt for John Rooney. He gets home to find his wife and youngest son murdered. Now he and Michael Jr. must flee and he must protect his only remaining son, knowing they are marked for death. Tom Hanks gives a very good performance of a mob hit man trying to keep his life as normal as possible for his family. It is hard not to like Hanks in any role he plays. Even as a gangster he brings across a likeable personna. You feel more sorry for him as he comes to grips that his former employer and mentor is not who he thought he was. Mr. Rooney is a cold blooded murderer that will do anything to protect his son and his standing. Young Michael Sullivan Jr, played by Tyler Hoechlin also gives a great performance as a young troubled youth who has his childhood stolen and must change if he is to live. This movie's slower beginning builds as the movie continues. There is enough violence to satisfy those who only see movies looking for the action. But the story is well told. It is a different time and things don't work as they do today. This is an America gone by. So if you can unplug from this "time period" and relax, I think you will find this a good film.
Rating: 
Summary: What film were they watching?
Review: It amazes me that there are so many reviews praising this film. I expected a lot from it, but it delivers next to nothing. It is just an extremely ponderous, boring movie. I guess you can sell anything to people if you put a 'star' in it. The only good thing going for it is a few scenes that were filmed masterfully. So the bottom line is you get a few flashes of cinematic brilliance in an otherwise dreary, boring and forgettable film.
Rating: 
Summary: Wow
Review: The music of the movie is just too haunting,it's just too wonderful.The actors are as good as always.The story is just beautiful.
It is set in Depression-era and Tom Hanks is a gangster
working for Paul Newman.He's married with two children.One of his children is rather curious and his curiosity costs his entire
family's life - because he has seen what he shouldn't have and he is the haunted one in case he reveals the secret to other people. I watched it so many times...and it never gets boring.
Rating: 
Summary: Beautiful, graceful, ponderous and heavy-handed
Review: This movie is stunning to look at. The cinematography is excellent, the sets and designs were flawless. I found Tom Hanks convincing as the soul-deadened hitman, and Paul Newman was excellent as the wily, conflicted old paterfamilias. The relation ship between Rooney and his son was excruciatingly painful to watch. However, the story unrolled at a very leisurely pace, almost too much so. The religious iconography and other elements were laid on with a trowel. You know that Sullivan will never get to heaven, so I was totally anticipating the return of his avenging angel when he enters the pristine white sanctuary at the end. A bit too predictable and therefore a bit disappointing. Other than that, enjoyable, quality entertainment.
Rating: 
Summary: badACTUALITY[no consciousness no remorse]
Review: bad, uninspired, no story SO what who cares, for TOM hanks wearing the empeors new suit of clothes quietness EQUATES CALLOUSNESS,machine gun early TOOTHY ADVENTURE INTO melodrone robotics,TOO TIRED IN CLICHE EMPTY shaded,SCREEN PRETENSIOUSS, ASPIRATIONS OF GREATNEST LAYS ITS THINKING MANS HEAD EGG RIGHT ON THE SCREEN to witness,deploreable acting WITNESS paul neuman, look get me out of here desperate, DEER IN THE HEADLIGHTS LOST, like where is a character too give these god awful lines of dialogue, some adacity or wit, after all, TOM JUST LOOKS MOROSE, AND IM JUST a two bitBOOTANEER,higherer of body hunter executioneers,the shoot and kill moments are what gives meaning to this like MTV VIDEO SHAKE YOUR BOOTS TITILATEME, LIKE kill, road FRILL STARK AND EMPTY, lacking actuality, not to mention the laughable telcast SLAUGHTER IN white room ESTACY signal the endding,
Rating:
Summary: A classic
Review: When you think of great movie, what comes to mind: Scarface, The Godfather, Die Hard? Well, another movie can now come to mind: Road to Perdition. Not only does the movie have an awesome musical score, the plot ranks above every movie released in 2002. You disagree? That's alright, because my opinion is right. Don't like the movie? Go and get your head checked, seriously. The movie features an ensemble cast, with a well-driven plot, and a shocker ending. I suggest you to pick up both the soundtrack and the movie, and if you don't like either of them, then, there is something wrong.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing Plot
Review: As fans of both Tom Hanks and Paul Newman, my husband and I were both disappointed by this film. There is nothing wrong with the acting, or the cinematography, but the plot leaves something to be desired. Both Tom Hanks and Paul Newman acted their parts well. There is a lot of several hit men chasing each other around, and a lot of killing, but very little to the plot or story. If you really enjoy the 1930's Mobster Era, you will probably like this film. If, like me, you don't enjoy that era, try another Tom Hanks film.
Rating:
Summary: Good film, but woefully miscast
Review: This would have been a great film had it not been for Tom Hanks. Sorry Tom, but you just can't pull-off playing the heavy, not here at least. Hanks certainly has proven himself as a competent actor in past films like "Philadelphia" and "Castaway," but here I can't buy him either as a concerned father or an inner-circle gangster. Perhaps he was hoping to shed some of his heroic underdog persona for something more enigmatic and dark, but it doesn't work here. Jude Law, on the otherhand, is delightfully menacing. The rest of the cast holds their own as well. The writing and the themes work despite Hanks' performance. I would love to see this remade with a less well-known and indentifiable lead.
Rating:
Summary: One of Tom Hanks' Best Films
Review: In this fine Prohibition-era film, Tom Hanks plays a mob hit man who, throughout the course of the film, transforms his life from killing to caring. Michael Sullivan (Hanks) is the right-hand man for crime boss John Rooney, played superbly by veteran actor Paul Newman. But when Sullivan's young son Michael Jr., played by Tyler Hoechlin, witnesses one of his father's hits, he must choose between his real family and his crime family. Upon finding out that Sullivan's son witnessed the hit, Rooney's son Connor, played by Daniel Craig, has Sullivan's wife Annie (Jennifer Jason Leigh) and son Peter (Liam Athen) killed. This fills Michael with rage and revenge against his former crime family, but also fills him with a new-found sense of love and responsibility for his son Michael Jr. The acting throughout the film is excellent. Hanks turns in one of his best acting performances as Sullivan, while timeless Paul Newman is wonderful as John Rooney. Jude Law is also a standout as Maguire, a chilling hit man/photographer. I would rate this film on the level of other Hanks films such as "Saving Private Ryan" and "Forrest Gump". You must watch the film carefully and let the story develop, but the ending is worth the wait.
Rating:
Summary: Road to Perdition - A "fairly" decent film!
Review: I'm not exactly sure what I was expecting when I chose to watch this movie, other than what is normally an excellent performance by Tom Hanks, which he did deliver, as usual, in what is an extremely atypical type of role for him. Rarely will you see Tom Hanks play one of the "bad" guys, but in the end, he's a bad guy who loves his family. Overall though, this film just doesn't live up to its potential, failing to grab the viewer and compel you to the character or characters. Yes, you do feel for the character and the losses he must endure, but it's just not a compelling story. As is usual for Tom Hanks and Paul Newman, they both deliver exceptional performances, despite a weak story. Jennifer Jason Leigh's role in the film is so minor as to hardly be noticed. Jude Law delivers a very good performance in this film, which is par for the course for him. Tyler Hoechlin's performance is quite admirable for a young actor. Highly acclaimed "American Beauty" director, Sam Mendes led the reigns on this film and sets a beautiful tone for the film, which is thematically rich with the exception of the story itself which I found lacking. The score for the film is "dead on" for the film. The premise: Tom Hanks stars as Mike Sullivan, devoted family man with his wife (Jennifer Jason Leigh) and two children Mike Jr. and Peter. Along with being the devoted family man, Mike Sullivan is an Irish mafia hit man whose family, led by John Rooney (Paul Newman) has very close ties to Al Capone. One evening, young Mike Jr. decides that he "must" find out what his father actually does for a living so he stows away in the trunk of his father's car. On that rainy night, he finds out in the worse way what his father does as he watches him and Conner Rooney (Daniel Craig) murder three men. He's so shocked by what he's just seen he makes a noise and his father quickly finds him. As much as his father tries to tell him everything is going to be okay and to forget about what he's seen, Conner Rooney isn't going to let them just forget about and orders Mike Sullivan murdered and sees to killing his wife and children himself. Fortunately for Mike Jr. he's not at home when Conner Rooney murders his mother and brother. What follows from there is a "generally" entertaining but rarely captivating story as Mike Sullivan and his son are attempting to allude Maguire (Jude Law) whose been sent to kill them and at the same time, find a way to get to Conner Rooney to avenge the death of his wife and youngest son. I would recommend this movie as a rental. {ssintrepid} Special Features: - Deleted Scenes
- HBO's "Making of" Documentary
- Feature Commentary with Director Sam Mendes
- Production Notes
- Photo Gallery
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