Road to Perdition (July 9/02)
Just last week, I reviewed a film called Pumpkin which I determined was the worst film of the year (and yes, I realize it's only July). This week, I saw Road to Perdition, a film that is easily the best movie I've seen in a good long while and will likely top my list of the 10 best flicks at the end of the year.
Road to Perdition casts Tom Hanks as a 1930s era hitman named Michael Sullivan, who works for the head of one of Al Capone's gangs. Leading that gang is John Rooney (Paul Newman), a man who's been taking care of Sullivan nearly his whole life and indeed acts as a father figure to him. Sullivan's living a pretty decent life; he's got a nice home, a loving wife (Jennifer Jason Leigh), and two small boys. But everything is thrown for a loop when Michael's eldest (also named Michael) hides in his car one night and witnesses the execution of a possible trouble maker. Though Sullivan is assured that there will be no repercussions and Mike Jr. gives his word that he won't tell, Rooney's hot-headed son decides to take a decidedly more permanent route towards ensuring his silence. This leaves Sullivan with no choice but to hit the road with Mike Jr., evading a deadly hitman hired by the family (played by Jude Law) and working towards finding a way back home.
Road to Perdition's been directed by Sam Mendes, whose American Beauty was an astonishingly capable and mature debut. He's followed up that promise with this film, which firmly cements him as a director worth watching. Along with cinematographer Conrad L. Hall, Mendes has crafted a film that's just as exciting to look at as it is to watch. He employs several instances of virtuoso camerawork, such as the introduction to Jude Law's character, but never allows the visuals to overwhelm the story. Right from the opening shots of Sullivan's home and Michael Jr.'s daily routine of riding his bike home from school, it's clear that Mendes has succeeding in creating a very specific time and place.
Tom Hanks probably didn't immediately spring to mind when Mendes was casting the central character of this dark tale, but he gives what is likely the best performance of his career. Hanks embodies this person so fully that it's easy enough to forget this is the same guy who played Forrest Gump and Chuck Noland (the castaway from, uh, Cast Away). Sporting a mustache and clad entirely in dark clothing, Hanks takes a character who could have easily been hated by the audience and manages to evoke sympathy instead. Newman, playing someone we're never quite sure we should like, is simply brilliant as John Rooney - a man who tries to do the right thing but is undermined by his inept son. Newman alone makes Road to Perdition worth watching, but the same could be said about Message in a Bottle. For the first time in ages, he's given really good material to work with and he proves that he's easily still one of the best actors out there.
Mendes has peppered the film with a really interesting (and talented) supporting cast, with newcomer Tyler Hoechlin a standout as Michael Jr. Much like Haley Joel Osment, Hoechlin never seems as though he's trying to act; he gives off a very natural vibe and follows Hanks' lead in delivering a restrained performance. Jude Law, as the photographer/hitman on the Sullivans trial, once again demonstrates that he's one of the best in a new breed of actors. His Maguire is a sleazy yet entirely professional killer, and Law's completely convincing in the role. Finally, there's an actor named Daniel Craig as Connor, John Rooney's impetuous son. He's not an actor I was previously familiar with, but his unique face and obvious talent ensure that he's destined to become more well known.
Alongside the superb direction and acting is an equally impressive screenplay by David Self. Based on an acclaimed "graphic novel" (which is just a pretentious way of saying comic book), Self's screenplay is full of interesting characters, unexpected plot twists and spare yet effective dialogue. More surprising are the instances of humor, which provides temporary relief from the somber storyline. Road to Perdition is an intelligent and challenging film, one that most audiences will likely end up bewildered by. But to those who love movies and are tired of the endless onslaught of mindless summer blockbusters, it's just what the doctor ordered.
