Well, not to give too much of the movie away, but Michael Sullivan (Tom Hanks) is a hit man for a crime boss John Rooney (the great Paul Newman). When young Michael Sullivan Jr. (Tyler Hoechlin, on his way) accidentally witnesses one of his father's hits, their family life is out the door. Jude Law also puts in a great performance Maguire, a sadistic photographer/hit man who is on the trail of Michael Sullivan and his son. McGuire has to be one of the best movie villains I have seen this year; it gave me chill bumps to listen to him describe taking photographs of corpses. Stanley Tucci also has a nice small part in the film, as does Daniel Craig, who plays Connor Rooney, the weasly blood son of John Rooney, who envies Michael Sullivan because of his father's love for him.

The scenery and sets in the movie are great also. Mendes uses odd camera angles and shots in some scenes, and the rain and snow really add to the overall mood of the movie.

I was a great fan of "American Beauty," but Sam Mendes has outdone himself. I think I smell Academy Awards (sniff, sniff).

Sam Mendes has found a way to tell this tale of violence and murder with great style and grace. His choices throughout the film are brilliant, whether in unexpected closeups or thoughtful and unusual camera placement and angles. The use of weather (rain) and locale and the look & tone of the piece are marvelous. None of his work is forced and it flows and melds nicely. With this, only his second film, he has established his place in the forefront of today's filmakers. Truly remarkable work!

I will not give the details of the story other than it involves Irish mobsters who are affiliated with Al Capone in Chicago, and how things go terribly wrong when a son discovers his father's (Tom Hanks) business. An aging mob boss (Paul Newman) must make the terrible choice between a baseless son and his adopted son whom he truly loves.. Their world is turned upside down and a quest for survival becomes a quest for redemption as well.

As I said at the outset the cast is superb: Tom Hanks is completely believable in a different, darker role than we have seen him play before. Paul Newman nails the contradictions in this charming but deadly old gangster. Jude Law is spot-on as an amoral hitman. And Daniel Craig makes an impression as the envious son with the constant smile but no laughter in his eyes. Stanley Tucci does a nice small part and all the minor characters are fine. But, the great work are the scenes between Newman & Hanks and Hanks and Hoechlin. Fathers & sons and the mysteries & contradictions always inherent in those relationships.

Thanks to Dreamworks and the producers for, again, releasing a serious film for adults in the Summer. A welcome relief from the hyper noisy and busy popcorn movie season.

This is as fine a piece of filmmaking as you're likely to see in a while. First rate in all departments. Not to be missed.

It's 1931, and Hanks plays Michael Sullivan, an enforcer working for crime family head John Rooney (Paul Newman). Though Rooney has an adult son, Connor (Daniel Craig), he regards Michael with the affection reserved for the son he wishes he'd had. Sullivan himself has a wife and two boys. In the film's first half-hour, Connor botches a job assigned to him and Michael by the elder Rooney. In the aftermath of the debacle, Connor kills Michael's wife and his youngest (and favorite) son for reasons too complicated to explain here. For the remainder of the film, Sullivan goes on the lam with Michael, Jr. (Tyler Hoechlin) seeking revenge against Connor while evading a hit man named Maguire (Jude Law) reluctantly hired by John Rooney to pre-empt the reprisal slaying of his own badly behaved offspring.

Those who are turned off by ROAD TO PERDITION because of the bloody deeds performed by Hollywood Good Fella Hanks, akin to watching Jimmy Stewart in the role of someone who kicks puppies, are perhaps missing the point. This is a powerful tale of the dynamic that exists between fathers and sons: John and Connor, Michael and Michael, Jr., and John and Michael. This is a Guy Story to be sure. Indeed, in the entire film there's no female lead worth mentioning and very little softness. Much of the magnificent cinematography is done in the dark, brooding atmospheres that one could expect in the Male's Cave. That's not to say that there's no humor. There's a sequence of scenes depicting the young Sullivan's mastering of driving skills that, in the context of the storyline, is positively priceless.

Early on, Newman, the mega-star of yesterday, and Hanks, the mega-star of today, play a piano duet (for real). But the sentimental favorite of ROAD TO PERDITION has to be the former, and I foresee a nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Newman's blue eyes continue to shine out of a face that age (and perhaps cosmetic surgery) has only made more striking. Moreover, Paul's Rooney expresses more raw emotion in his relationship with his son than Tom's Sullivan can manage in his. Perhaps this was an intentional part of the script, or perhaps it's a reflection of the accomplished old pro that Newman is and Hanks has yet to be. And Law is especially good as the sinister and creepy Maguire whose hits provide fodder for his day job.

I liked this film a lot because it focuses on the nature of the father/son relationship, something which Tinseltown usually ignores. This is likely to be one of the better films of 2002.