Road To Perdition doesn't really feel at that much like a comic book adaptation; it's a dark and serious crime thriller that has more in common with films like Once Upon A Time In America and Miller's Crossing than it does with the likes of Iron Man or The Avengers. The movie, which stars Tom Hanks as a hitman seeking revenge for the murder of his family, was helmed by Sam Mendes, who had made his name with the Oscar-winning American Beauty three years previously, and has since had success with the likes of James Bond in Skyfall. Then most remarkable thing about Road to Perdition, then, aside from its beautiful visuals courtesy of master cinematographer Conrad Hall (this was his last film before his death a year later), are the performances. Tom Hanks, usually typecast in heroic roles, offers up a transformative turn as Michael Sullivan, Sr., a man whose morals are undoubtably grey, and then there's Paul Newman (this was his last film, too) as his boss, John Rooney, who turns in one of his finest performances ever. So beautiful did Newman look in the camera lens, apparently, that Conrad Hall - upon shooting Perdition's famous rain scene in the rain - broke down in tears.
Sam Hill is an ardent cinephile and has been writing about film professionally since 2008. He harbours a particular fondness for western and sci-fi movies.
