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Road to Perdition

R Released Jul 12, 2002 1h 56m Crime Drama TRAILER for List
81% Tomatometer 215 Reviews 86% Popcornmeter 100,000+ Ratings
Mike Sullivan (Tom Hanks) is an enforcer for powerful Depression-era Midwestern mobster John Rooney (Paul Newman). Rooney's son, Connor (Daniel Craig), is jealous of the close bond they share, and when Mike's eldest son, Michael (Tyler Hoechlin), witnesses a hit, Connor uses the incident as an excuse to murder Sullivan's wife (Jennifer Jason Leigh) and youngest son. Forced to flee, Sullivan and Michael set out on a journey of revenge and self-discovery.
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Road to Perdition

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Critics Consensus

Somber, stately, and beautifully mounted, Sam Mendes' Road to Perdition is a well-crafted mob movie that explores the ties between fathers and sons.

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Critics Reviews

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Namrata Joshi Outlook A beautiful elegy to a decaying world whose sadness lingers on. Rated: 3/4 Jan 3, 2019 Full Review Mike Clark USA Today So is Perdition still a must-see? No question. But it's tough to fuss about it much when a picture is this fussy. Rated: 3/4 Apr 14, 2013 Full Review David Denby New Yorker Visually, the picture is all of a piece, but it's a self-conscious piece of work -- all dark-toned academic classicism. Apr 14, 2013 Full Review Fico Cangiano CineXpress Podcast A fantastic exploration of violence, envy, loyalty, and relationships between fathers and sons, done through a superb old-school, throwback gangster film. Tom Hanks, Paul Newman and Daniel Craig are phenomenal. [Full review in Spanish] Rated: 4/5 Jun 5, 2024 Full Review Rob Gonsalves Rob's Movie Vault Eventually the movie folds up into complete pictorialism. Rated: C Sep 17, 2022 Full Review Sean Axmaker Stream on Demand ... it’s a modern throwback to the classic gangster movie, set in the depths of the Depression in 1930s America, and Mendes pays great attention to the imagery of the screen adaptation. Jun 25, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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mark g I have never gotten into this movie. The casting seemed wrong and it just didn't play as real. Wanted to like it, but never have. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 10/10/24 Full Review David F Great production values - I loved the acting, the pacing, the music - especially the music - the scenery and the period details. The story was appropriately exciting, nostalgic, and interesting. It’s part road trip, part mob tale, with lavish studio fittings. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 08/23/24 Full Review Mitch C Exquisite in every way. From the somber musical score, to the performances from Hanks and Newman (I believe his final film), to the portrayal of depression era Midwest mobsters, but most importantly the father/son relationship and the constant struggle to salvage the good from a din of evil. Wonderful film. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/31/24 Full Review Bahad j In my opinion, I felt that the movie was very good, behind all this, the filmmaker was able to come up with the right festive details to congratulate the members of the behind-the-scenes team. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/12/24 Full Review Audience Member Daring! New Movie! The most interesting thing is the celetic culture idea and the English mafia. Also would like to add Tom Hanks is a famous acter. Crime/Thriller crime, drama, thriller, so it was a crime crime. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 07/04/24 Full Review Wayne K Tom Hanks once called Road To Perdition his most overlooked film, and you can see why this would be the case. Hanks is like America’s Grandad, among the most beloved performers who’s ever lived, a guy that many would innately trust, despite having never met him. In RTP, he plays a mob enforcer, a man of few words and little warmth. His job is to get things done, with force if necessary, and Hanks proves himself more than capable of playing a character like this, one that’s the polar opposite of his usual roles. He doesn’t show much outwardly expression, but that makes it all the more significant when he does. A twitch of the mouth or a raising of the eyebrows has a lot more impact when the person doesn’t routinely do it. His relationship with his son forms the film’s emotional backbone, and seeing their relationship grow closer without resorting to mawkishness or undue sentimentality really hits you when you discover how little they bonded beforehand. Rather than filling the movie with big, blowout action sequences and shootouts that leave roomfuls of anonymous dead mobsters, the violent scenes are rare and evenly scattered, and each one is relevant to the advancement of the plot, rather than just being thrown in as a flashy distraction. I like Jude Law’s ruthless contract killer, where everything from his appearance to his mannerisms to his day job are unsettling, and its always great to see a baddie that has more to offer than drawn-out, grandiose speeches. The cinematography is gorgeous, the plot doesn’t try to confuse you and by keeping the focus tight and consistent, the emotional payoffs are all the more rewarding. Take Hank’s advice, and see it when you get the chance. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 05/03/24 Full Review Read all reviews
Road to Perdition

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Cast & Crew

Road to Perdition

Road to Perdition: Official Clip - Give Me the Gun Road to Perdition: Official Clip - Give Me the Gun 2:13 Road to Perdition: Official Clip - None of Us Will See Heaven Road to Perdition: Official Clip - None of Us Will See Heaven 2:09 Road to Perdition: Official Clip - I'm Glad It's You Road to Perdition: Official Clip - I'm Glad It's You 2:13 Road to Perdition: Official Clip - A Share of the Money Road to Perdition: Official Clip - A Share of the Money 1:10 Road to Perdition: Official Clip - You Would Like to Apologize? Road to Perdition: Official Clip - You Would Like to Apologize? 2:03 Road to Perdition: Official Clip - Kill Sullivan and All Debts are Paid Road to Perdition: Official Clip - Kill Sullivan and All Debts are Paid 2:06 Road to Perdition: Official Clip - You Saw Everything Road to Perdition: Official Clip - You Saw Everything 2:12 Road to Perdition: Official Clip - Sons Are Put on this Earth Road to Perdition: Official Clip - Sons Are Put on this Earth 1:37 Road to Perdition: Official Clip - Hotel Shootout Road to Perdition: Official Clip - Hotel Shootout 2:08 View more videos
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Movie Info

Synopsis Mike Sullivan (Tom Hanks) is an enforcer for powerful Depression-era Midwestern mobster John Rooney (Paul Newman). Rooney's son, Connor (Daniel Craig), is jealous of the close bond they share, and when Mike's eldest son, Michael (Tyler Hoechlin), witnesses a hit, Connor uses the incident as an excuse to murder Sullivan's wife (Jennifer Jason Leigh) and youngest son. Forced to flee, Sullivan and Michael set out on a journey of revenge and self-discovery.
Director
Sam Mendes
Producer
Sam Mendes, Richard D. Zanuck, Dean Zanuck
Screenwriter
David Self
Distributor
DreamWorks SKG
Production Co
Zanuck Company
Rating
R (Violence|Language)
Genre
Crime, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jul 12, 2002, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 1, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA)
$104.1M
Runtime
1h 56m
Sound Mix
Dolby Stereo, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Surround, Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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