Road to Perdition (DVD)

For such a famous director, Sam Mendes has made very few films. Only two in fact; the multi-Oscar winning American Beauty and this 2002 follow-up, Road To Perdition. Although follow-up isn't really the right term, as this is completely different. I was surprised to find that this did not win any major Oscars, although it was nominated for about six, because it really is a brilliant film. I was also surprised that for such a great film, it was not advertised very well; I didn't really know anything about this film before I saw it, and I bet lots of people don't know about it at all, which is a shame. The story tells of a hit man for the Irish mafia, Mike ...  Read the complete review

In 1999 a British theatre director made his first feature film, a relatively low key film which managed to scoop a large number of awards and took both critics and audiences by storm. The film was 'American Beauty' and the director was Sam Mendes. 'Road to Perdition' is Mendes follow up feature, and although it doesn't quite equal 'American Beauty', it is a magnificent film which shows that Mendes has as much to give film as he has already given theatre. What 'Road to Perdition' gives us is a film that is beautifully crafted, stylishly presented and showcases excellent performances across the board. The one difference ...  Read the complete review

Oh well, thar she blows, my hundredth opinion. It may as well be on one of my favourite subjects - movies - and on a film that really moved me. Thanks for all the reads and supports in the past! Sam Mendes is arguably best known for American Beauty, a rapier-like thrust into the underbelly of middle-class suburban America. Road to Perdition takes a leaf from a very similar book both in style and presentation. The good news is that an already successful formula works a very worthy magic in a truly majestic piece of film-making of the highest calibre. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ...  Read the complete review

Sam Mendes came to prominence with the superb, Oscar-winning film American Beauty, depicting suburban malaise with a superb script by Alan Ball. In 2002, he approached a stark genre - adapting the graphic novel Road to Perdition, a noirish film with rich and textured themes about the consequences of violence, family, and fate. It stars Tom Hanks in the lead role (and whilst many contest he was miscast, I disagree - they just can't separate his numerous "nice guy" roles), and Paul Newman appears in his final live action role prior to his death (he did appear in the Pixar animated film Cars a few years later). Michael Sullivan, Sr. (Hanks) is a mob ...  Read the complete review

A perfect film by the mind of Sam Mendes. Tom Hanks stars as Mike Sullivan, a gangster working to support his two sons and wife. When his eldest witnasses a hit and is at the wrong place at the wrong time Sullivans Partner played by Daniel Craig who is also the son of Sulivans boss see's the boy and ends up To take things into his own hands. Sullivans Wife and youngest are brutally murdered and he is forced to go on the run with his son and faces a feirce struggle to stay alive and protect his son in enough time to exact a brutal revenge. Tom Hanks as a cold blooded killer is something i have never expected but he is such a good actor ...  Read the complete review