Road to Perdition (Sam Mendes, 2002)

[flyonthewall2983]

Watched this again over the weekend. It has held up much better than I think some people give it credit for. I'm admittedly biased as I loved it from when I saw it in theaters. It doesn't suffer as much from the "2nd album" syndrome that I think Jarhead wound up doing for Mendes (although I liked it a lot). Also think Tom Hanks was well-suited to the role of Michael Sullivan than some things I've read where they felt he was miscast. I think that role was a natural evolution from roles in Saving Private Ryan and The Green Mile where there was more stillness and mystery than in his parts previous to that.

[dda1996a]

Revolutionary Road unseen I actually like all of Mendes films with Spectre being the least interesting, mostly due to Waltz and being a disappointing follow up to Skyfall. I always liked this, and Conrad Hall's cinematography was rightly lauded (that shootout in the rain).
I think Hanks is good in his role as a father on the run with his boy, the problem is I can never believe for a second the guy kills people for a living. He is far too nice to kill people just for money (as opposed to protecting his child).

[flyonthewall2983]

It's not my impression that Sullivan was this killing machine, but someone who protected what he saw as the family business, albeit he's not actually a blood relative of Paul Newman's character. He's lulled himself into believing he's doing this for the greater good of providing a good home for his wife and kids, but I think from the moment you see him on screen you sense there is an unspoken burden weighing on him about what he does.

Watching the cinematography on the big screen (as well as Newman's last major on-screen role) is something I now feel honored to have seen. The Blu-ray is fantastic in this regard as scenes like that one in the rain come off fantastically well. Even Mendes in the intro on the Blu talks about the clarity he saw in the transfer, and highlighted that scene as a major improvement. I really liked the music too, Mendes and Thomas Newman are terrific collaborators and it's no wonder he's worked with him on all but one film since.

[Luke M]

Watched this again over the weekend. It has held up much better than I think some people give it credit for. I'm admittedly biased as I loved it from when I saw it in theaters. It doesn't suffer as much from the "2nd album" syndrome that I think Jarhead wound up doing for Mendes (although I liked it a lot). Also think Tom Hanks was well-suited to the role of Michael Sullivan than some things I've read where they felt he was miscast. I think that role was a natural evolution from roles in Saving Private Ryan and The Green Mile where there was more stillness and mystery than in his parts previous to that.

It's been years since I've seen it and I think, like you, also really enjoyed it since seeing in the theaters. It's good to hear that it holds up. I recently rewatched American Beauty and could barely finish it. Living in a post-recession world where "white privilege" is an everyday term, it's near impossible to sympathize with Lester's midlife crisis.

However, I look forward to revisiting Road to Perdition.

[captveg]

One of my favorite films. Also one of my favorite posters and taglines (it's one of three posters I have framed).

[flyonthewall2983]

This trailer is pretty awesome too.

[flyonthewall2983]

It's worthy to mention that the original source material of this film was highly inspired by the Lone Wolf and Cub manga series, which of course was later adapted into the series of six films that Criterion will release in November.

SpoilerShow

The graphic novel of Road to Perdition spawned two sequels itself. There was even talk of there being a sequel to the film, which I find kind of preposterous. It's easier for me to believe that the Michael Sullivan, Jr. of the film would grow up to be more of a pacifist and lead a more peaceful life.

[flyonthewall2983]

Nick Nolte was on Marc Maron's show and mentioned that leading up to Affliction he had come to Paul Newman with the idea of him playing the father. Newman declined saying that he felt his audience couldn't accept him in such a role. I do wonder if a couple of scenes in this was his way of trying to channel what he could of that material into this role. Rooney is seen as loving and understanding of Mike, but shows little outward care of his biological son. It's not as nasty as James Coburn played it in the other film, but the intent is there a little bit.

[connor]

I never saw this both 1. because I hate American Beauty and because 2. Kent Jones, a critic whose tastes significantly overlap with my own, trashed it.

So...it's actually good? Or at least better than American Beauty?

[knives]

Every Mendes film is better than American Beauty.

[domino harvey]

It's okay, which makes it much better than American Beauty. Mainly worth seeing for Jude Law

[DarkImbecile]

Also for Conrad Hall's last work as a cinematographer; there are several instances off the top of my head of really masterful compositions and uses of light/reflections that are worth seeing.

[connor]

It's okay, which makes it much better than American Beauty. Mainly worth seeing for Jude Law

I'll check it out then. I've been on a Paul Newman kick lately anyways. I only recently caught The Verdict and enjoyed his performance immensely.

(Which reminds me--never saw Twilight. Hopefully that'll get on blu-ray soon.)

[hearthesilence]

I like Paul Newman a lot, but I thought he was okay - there's only so much he can do with a thin role.

If you want to see more latter day Newman, Nobody's Fool should be next. Mr. & Mrs. Bridge as well - Newman is excellent as a rather stern and conservative figure whom I believe Woodward said was actually more like Newman in real life than any of his other roles.

[domino harvey]

I honestly think Newman stole Law's Oscar nomination here. And Twilight is a mess, easily Benton's worst attempt at making a modern noir (yes, worse than whatever that Meryl Streep one was called)

[flyonthewall2983]

You're better off watching that other Twilight

[hearthesilence]

Jesus, that bad? I haven't seen the "other" Twilight either, but when a friend of mine tried to read the first book, he told me he stopped after a short while because he felt like his brain was beginning to atrophy.

[flyonthewall2983]

Funnily enough Tyler Hoechlin was not only in the Twilight-inspired TV reboot of Teen Wolf, but in Fifty Shades Freed which of course was an "homage" to that wretched franchise as well.

All I remember about Benton's movie is that there's a recurring unfunny joke throughout suggesting that Newman's character was castrated by a stray bullet during an event that happens during the opening scene. And Margo Martindale as a prostitute.

Has anyone ever seen Where The Money Is? I remember the trailer for it on another DVD and it looked pretty funny.

I honestly think Newman stole Law's Oscar nomination here.

Agreed. I was surprised this wasn't nominated for more that year, but it's clear looking back that Dreamworks had lost it's Oscar mojo quite considerably by then.

I remember when Law was the internet's top choice for Christopher Nolan's Joker, and they used this role to make their case for it.