20th Century Fox

DreamWorks Pictures

The Zanuck Company

Not part of a collection.

Road to Perdition

Name: Road to Perdition
Released: 2002-07-12T00:00:00.000000Z
Rating: 7.4

Pray for Michael Sullivan.

2002 • 117 min • ★ 7.4 (4,015) • Released

Crime Drama Thriller

Mike Sullivan works as a hit man for crime boss John Rooney. Sullivan views Rooney as a father figure, however after his son is witness to a killing, Mike Sullivan finds himself on the run in attempt to save the life of his son and at the same time looking for revenge on those who wronged him.

IMDb ↗

Original title: Road to Perdition
Language: EN
Country: US
Budget: $80,000,000
Revenue: $181,001,478

Reviews & Ratings 4

CinemaSerf

Sep 3, 2023 · via TMDB

★ 7.0

Tom Hanks is "Mike" - enforcer for the "Rooney" family headed up by patriarch "John" (Paul Newman) with his wayward son "Connor" (Daniel Craig). When an interrogation goes fatally wrong, the father is furious with the son, who then attempts to have "Mike" and his entire family murdered. He manages to save himself and his teenage son "Mike Jnr." (Tyler Hoechlin) but his wife and his other young son are killed - so he determines on revenge. This is probably my favourite film from Sam Mendes and it is certainly my favourite featuring Hanks. Though a bit slow off the mark, the tension builds well as the fleeing pair develop their bond whilst fleecing the mob, exacting their revenge and the youngster learns to drive. There are a few undercooked efforts, however - not least Jude Law's almost comic-book "Maguire" and Newman features but sparingly, but in the main the characters develop and grow and the father son relationship matures engagingly until a last fifteen minutes that I felt rather disappointing. The writing is a shade pedestrian, and the narrative a bit too predictable, but it looks great: the attention to detail, the cars, the costumes and the whole style of the film give it an authenticity that I really enjoyed.

Peter McGinn

Mar 12, 2023 · via TMDB

★ 7.0

One should bear in mind that this is basically a mafia movie. I say that because it is presented almost as a dramatic coming of age story, which implies a different sort of story altogether. I mean, there is the coming of age element to it, but it is a brutal, violent film true to its mafia roots. For example, father and son feature strongly throughout, with details, backgrounds and character development. Mom and the brother are more like undeveloped pawns in the story. The settings and photography are excellent, nearly worth watching the movie all by itself. I am not sure Tom Hanks is quite up to his usual high standard here, but it may be exactly what the director was looking for. I must day that once father and son stopped at a house for assistance, I knew how the movie would end, being a mini-morality tale and all, but I write novels in my spare time, so I am used to thinking about ending variations. The film would not make any of my top 10 lists, but I am glad to have watched this focused, atmospheric slice of noir.

The Movie Mob

Aug 19, 2022 · via TMDB

★ 4.0

**Overall : With so much going for it, The Road to Perdition is surprisingly disappointing.** After hearing Road to Perdition referred to as a classic multiple times, I was interested. Then seeing that it boasted a cast of Tom Hanks, Daniel Craig, and Stanley Tucci and that Sam Mendes directed it, I was even more intrigued. Finally, after seeing the trailer and its promise of some cool action scenes, I was excited to watch this movie! But sadly, The Road to Perdition greatly disappointed. I will be honest and say that this isn’t a typical movie I enjoy, but the film was long and very slow. The action scenes were few and far between, with almost every second of action showcased in the trailers. The ending didn’t surprise and left me even more frustrated as I watched the entire film. Not a fan.

John Chard

Jul 10, 2020 · via TMDB

★ 8.0

Damnation Alleyway. When his son witnesses him enacting a hit, mob enforcer Michael Sullivan finds that the man whom he likened to a father has ordered a hit on him and his family. Too late to save his wife and youngest child, Sullivan goes on the run with his eldest boy and plots revenge along the way. How refreshing to find a gangster movie in the modern age, more so, how refreshing to find a gangster movie set in the early 1930s and not involving foul mouthed Mafioso types. Directed by Sam Mendes and starring Tom Hanks, Paul Newman, Daniel Craig and Jude Law, Road To Perdition is an adaptation of the Graphic Novel that was brought to us by Max Allan Collins & Richard Piers Rayner. The film deals with themes of violence and its consequences and fathers and sons, set to a watery back drop during the Great Depression. It's also a pulse pinging treat of visual magnificence thanks to cinematographer Conrad L. Hall (his last film before he passed away). Comparisons with great gangster film's of the past are inevitable, but Mendes' film has more in common with something like "Eastwood's Unforgiven" and "John Ford's The Searchers", the journey of the lead protagonist is fraught and telling, and motivated by circumstance. Yet the trick for first time viewers that Road To Perdition has up its sleeve, is that we don't know how it will work out for Hanks' Sullivan. It makes for a riveting experience with many transcendent rewards along the way. As regards the cast, Hanks is a touch miscast, but his play off relationship with the quite terrific Newman gives the film some solid ground from which to launch the sombre story. Daniel Craig does a nifty line in weasel and Law convinces as a mouldy toothed hired killer who enjoys taking photographs of his victims. Pic has almost philosophical mediations on good and bad, and it's elegiacally drawn by Mendes. The melancholic mood is enhanced by Thomas Newman's musical score, where he reworks his "Shawshank Redemption" score for narrative tightness. The film thrives as a poetic and atmospheric piece. The story might be basic, but it manages to rise above that because it be a superbly directed and well acted picture. One that just happens to be beautiful in spite of the bleakness that lingers on the main protagonist and the journey he undertakes. 8/10

User reviews courtesy of TMDB.

Keywords 22

1930s ambivalent bank robbery based on comic based on graphic novel callous cautionary farm great depression hitman homework hotel illinois lake michigan learning to drive liberty half dollar mafia organized crime revenge road trip scarred face spoiled son

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Cast 27

Tom Hanks

Michael Sullivan

Paul Newman

John Rooney

Jude Law

Harlen Maguire

Tyler Hoechlin

Michael Sullivan, Jr.

Daniel Craig

Connor Rooney

Stanley Tucci

Frank Nitti

Jennifer Jason Leigh

Annie Sullivan

Liam Aiken

Peter Sullivan

Dylan Baker

Alexander Rance

Ciarán Hinds

Finn McGovern

David Darlow

Jack Kelly

Kevin Chamberlin

Frank the Bouncer

Doug Spinuzza

Calvino

Kurt Naebig

Tenement Murderer

Keith Kupferer

Nitti's Henchman

Lara Phillips

Ruby the Waitress

Mina Badie

Betty the Waitress

John Judd

Rooney's Business Associate

Ian Barford

Rooney's Henchman

Rob Maxey

Drug Store Owner

Maureen Gallagher

Michael's Teacher

Diane Dorsey

Aunt Sarah

Harry Groener

Mr. McDougal

Peggy Roeder

Farmer Virginia

James Greene

Farmer Bill

Anthony LaPaglia

Al Capone (uncredited)

Paul Turner

Finn McGovern's Henchman

Crew 27

Dennis Gassner

Production Design

Nancy Haigh

Set Decoration

P. Scott Sakamoto

Camera Operator

Conrad Hall

Director of Photography

François Duhamel

Still Photographer

Albert Wolsky

Costume Design

Daniel C. Striepeke

Makeup Artist

Carla Meyer

Dialect Coach

Conrad Hall

In Memory Of

Doug Coleman

Stunt Coordinator

Joey Box

Utility Stunts

Sam Mendes

Director

Jeff Okabayashi

Second Assistant Director

Doug Coleman

Second Unit Director

Tom Stern

Chief Lighting Technician

Barbara Harris

ADR Voice Casting

Debra Zane

Casting

Terri Taylor

Casting Associate

Mickie Paskal

Casting Consultant

Walter F. Parkes

Executive Producer

Richard D. Zanuck

Producer

Sam Mendes

Producer

Chris Castaldi

Production Assistant

Thomas Newman

Original Music Composer

John Pritchett

Production Sound Mixer

Michael L. Fink

Visual Effects Supervisor

Max Allan Collins

Graphic Novel

Gallery

159

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US Release Dates 2

Jul 9, 2002

New York City, New York

Premiere

Jul 12, 2002

R Theatrical