ROAD TO PERDITION (EXCLUSIVE SERIES)

Initial release date: July 12, 2002

Studios: DreamWorks Pictures/The Zanuck Company

Plot: Mike Sullivan is an enforcer for powerful Depression-era Midwestern mobster John Rooney. Rooney's son, Connor, is jealous of the close bond they share, and when Mike's eldest son, Michael, witness a hit, Connor uses the incident as an excuse to murder Sullivan's wife and youngest son. Forced to flee, Sullivan and Michael set out on a journey of revenge and self-discovery.

Cast

Tom Hanks - Michael Sullivan

Paul Newman - John Rooney

Tyler Hoechlin - Michael Sullivan Jr.

Jennifer Jason Leigh - Annie Sullivan

Daniel Craig - Connor Rooney

Ciaran Hinds - Finn McGovern

Dylan Baker - Alexander Rance

Stanley Tucci - Frank Nitti

Jude Law - Maguire

Writer: David Self (The Wolfman; Thirteen Days; The Haunting)

Max Allen Collins and Richard Piers Rayner (graphic novel)

Director: Sam Mendes (Empire of Light; 1917; Spectre)

Rated R for violence and language (117 minutes)

The 2002 film 'Road to Perdition' is one of the best gangster films released within the last couple decades, Set during the Great Depression, this flm features lots of emotion and great performances from acting legends Tom Hanks and Paul Newman.

One thing that adds to the film's emotion is the father-son relationship. Not only does the film focus on the actual father-son relationship between Tom Hanks' character and his son, but also between Hanks and Newman. Michael Sullivan (Hanks) has worked for Rooney for years and their bond is so close that Rooney thinks of Sullivan as a son. Yet, this leads to a very powerful moment during an amazing shot rainy shootout.

'Road to Perdition' can also be suspenseful at times, especially when Sullivan and his son are trying to hide from Maguire (Jude Law), who is someone hired to have them killed.

This is definitely a modern classic that shouldn't be missed. 'Perdition' can be streamed on Paramount Plus, Netflix and Amazon Prime, along with various VOD rental platforms.

Here are a few interesting tidbits for 'Road to Perdition':

• After his success with his directorial debut 'American Beauty,' Mendes was the flavor of Hollywood and was sent all the top scripts. Some of these included 'A Beautiful Mind,' 'K-PAX; and 'The Shipping News.' He was attracted to 'Road to Perdition' because it was a film of few words, something of a change after the wordy screenplay to 'American Beauty'.

• Due to stereotyping issues, Stanley Tucci generally avoided roles in gangster movies. However, the prospect of working with Sam Mendes was enough for him to reconsider his stance.

• The piano piece that Paul Newman and Tom Hanks play at the opening funeral was performed by them.

• To create a villain that could challenge the physically imposing Tom Hanks, Mendes wanted Jude Law to seem rodent-like.

• The movie is loosely based on actual events, and a real enforcer for mobster John Looney, who was betrayed by him.

• Mendes claimed that Hanks performed the scene in which Sullivan outdraws the gun at the speakeasy without any stunt double, and he was very impressed with his deftness.

• Paul Newman was unanimously the producers' first choice for the part of John Rooney.

• Final on-screen/live-action feature film appearance by Paul Newman.

• When Max Allen Collins wrote the graphic novel, his book agent saw potential in the story as a film adaptation and showed it to a film agent.

• 'Road to Perdition' opened in 1,798 theaters in its debut weekend, competing against several new releases including 'Reign of Fire', 'Halloween: Resurrection' and 'The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course.' It ended up grossing $22.2 million, placing No. 2 to holdover 'Men in Black II.' It eventually grossed $104.5 million domestically and $76.5 million in other territories for a worldwide total of $181 million.

https://youtu.be/OreveBlLfho