Review of Road to Perdition (2002) by Allen G — 25 Apr 2013

Understated and held back yet powerful, slightly haunting and thoroughly enjoyable. It's possibly over-calculated though- there's not enough space to move from respect and awe of the film into being deeply touched by it- It keeps it's feet firmly on the ground and walks with complete confidence but it would have been nice if it had begun to soar.

The performances are great as is the aesthetic- the script is strong with a well-delivered plot and everything involved feels necessary and worthwhile. As much as I hate to say it though, it really makes me "that guy" and I don't want to be but, while it's technically fabulous, there's still something missing.

It's hard to say what exactly, it ticks the boxes but I think that's part of the problem- it's aim seems to be a technical success rather than an emotional one. There's a coldness to the process, the fact that it's attempts to be touching simply aren't particularly strong and contrast just a little too much with the overall tone of the film leaves me lacking for just that little bit more.

To me, it's like great chocolate- it's rich and thoroughly enjoyable but so much so that it sticks to your throat a little- too much has went into the taste that the experience suffers in the end. It's still great to enjoy though, but only from time to time.