Review of Road to Perdition (2002) by Mikey M — 11 Mar 2012

This isn't your father's mob movie. By saying this, I assume your father's mob movie was The Godfather. It's less violent, less gratuitous and less vocal then just about any American mob movie.

In fact, this movie doesn't have any grand speeches or long monologues, it's built on moving images. This movie is beautiful, which may seem odd coming from a Capone-era mob movie, but it is. Every frame seems as if it were painted with oils, Google image "Nighthawks" if you want to know what I'm talking about.

Because the movie operates on visceral level, the actors have a lot more work to do then if they had more dialogue. Tom Hanks and Paul Newman realize this beautifully and are some of the few Americana actors who could make an audience feel by just looking at you.

Jude Law's character is the opposite: bombastic and almost cartoonish, but he is such a massive force in the movie it's hard to ignore. It's a great watch for anyone who doesn't need a lot of dialogue and can ignore the fact that some of the emotions it strives for are never fully developed.

It's just so damn beautiful looking and so emotion laden, it's a must see for anyone who wants to watch art and not just your standard action flick.