From IMDB:
A mob enforcer’s son in 1930s Illinois witnesses a murder, forcing him and his father to take to the road, and his father down a path of redemption and revenge.
From Netflix (and Kanopy) you can stream this 1 hour 57 minute Irish mob classic film which earned five Academy Awards nominations, including Best Supporting Actor for Paul Newman. Originally the story was a graphic novel.
Tom Hanks bemoans the seeming obscurity of the film. He is quoted as saying “For one reason or another, no one references Road to Perdition, and that was an incredibly important movie for me to go through.” In fact, it was just his comment that motivated me to watch the film.
Consider the outstanding actors involved:
- Tom Hanks plays the enforcer and father Michael Sullivan. At the time of filming he was 46.
- Tyler Hoechlin plays the endangered son Michael Sullivan Jr. At the time of filming he was 15. Later he played superheroes.
- Jennifer Jason Leigh plays the mother Annie Sullivan.
- Paul Newman plays the mob family head John Rooney. This was his final live-action theatrical film acting role at which time he was 77. Newman died in 2008,
- Daniel Craig plays the out-of-control son Connor Rooney. At the time of filming he was 34. Craig began filming at age 24.
- Ciarán Hinds plays the witnessed murdered man Finn McGovern.
- Stanley Tucci plays the Chicago mobster Frank Nitti.
- Jude Law plays the psychopath Maguire who photographs his victims’ corpses. At time of filming he was 30. He began filming as a child actor of age 16.
- Anthony LaPaglia was cast as Al Capone and filmed a single scene, which was omitted from the final cut and can be found in the DVD’s deleted scenes.
Of course, it is a violent gangster film, but a tasteful one (if that is possible). At the center of the film is the son Michael who is an essentially good kid that worships his father and whose salvation is at stake.
DO NOT MISS!