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Plot Summary
It’s 1931 during the Great
Depression and Michael Sullivan (Tom Hanks) is working as a hit man for
the ageing Irish mobster, John Rooney (Paul Newman). Rooney treats Michael
as a son and Rooney’s real son Connor (Daniel Craig) is unhappy with the
high regard that his father has for Michael.
Michael is married with two
young sons and while his wife knows what he does, he keeps his work a
secret from his sons. Burning with curiosity the eldest son, Michael Jnr.
(Tyler Hoechlin), hides in the back of the car when his father goes out on
one of his “jobs”. The
job doesn’t go to plan and young Michael wishes he had stayed at home
when he witnesses a bloody shootout! But the damage is done and Michael
Sullivan’s position is compromised…
Review
Acclaimed movie American
Beauty is a hard act to follow for director Sam Mendes and Road To
Perdition is a very different type of movie. Based on a story written
by Max Allan Collins and drawn by Richard Piers Rayner the movie is set in
the dark days of the Great Depression in Chicago in the early 1930’s.
Sam Mendes puts a new slant on
the mobster/gangland movie and introduces a human element by showing the
love, protectiveness and aspirations that a father has for his son. When
mobster John Rooney says, “… none of us will see heaven.” Michael
replies, “Maybe Michael (Jnr.) could”. It is also a dark and moody
film and the theme of revenge and destruction are evident. Ironically
“Perdition” means spiritual ruin and in the film Perdition is the name
the place where Michael Sullivan tries to hide out.
The pace of the movie is quite
slow and deliberate but instead of being irritating this adds to the
feeling of gloom and pending tragedy. The filming is excellent with lots
of dark, shadowy scenes and scenes with rain pouring down. While the story
itself is not extraordinary and the ending can be predicted the imagery in
the movie is brilliant and helps to tell the story in the way words
can’t.
I did find it a little
difficult to see Tom Hanks as a gangster hit man. He comes across as cold
and unemotional but he didn’t have that “killer look”! Perhaps I
just couldn’t get Forrest Gump out of my head!
Was he miscast or was he perfectly cast to add to the human element
of the character? Paul Newman who played the
aging Irish gangster, John Rooney, really brought something special to the
movie. On the surface he appeared to be a kind grandfatherly figure but
behind the façade he was cold and calculating and this really came
across.
Acting all round was excellent,
Daniel Craig played Rooney’s son, Connor, who feared his father but was
safe in the knowledge that he had his father’s protection so that his
vicious escapades would go unpunished. Jude Law played another hit man who
I thought looked a lot more sinister than Tom Hanks! Tyler Hoechlin was
excellent as the young Michael Sullivan. He also did the narration in the
movie.
Definitely one of the best
movies of the year.
Lasting
thought: Perdition – spiritual ruin.
Reviewed by Niall Quinn,
Premier Movie Reviews
2002 |