Road to Perdition (2002)
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A mob enforcer and his son must flee their violent life after a series of tragic events.
The story
Set in 1931 during the Great Depression, the film follows Michael Sullivan Sr., an enforcer for an Irish Mob boss, and his young son. After a series of violent incidents involving a local mobster and his associates, the pair find themselves on the run. They must navigate a dangerous journey away from their old life, seeking a haven in the town of Perdition while being pursued by a relentless contract killer. The story explores the heavy toll of their lifestyle and the desperate attempt of a father to protect his son from the consequences of his own violent actions.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In the winter of 1931, Michael Sullivan Sr., an enforcer for Irish Mob boss John Rooney, lives a double life with his wife and sons. After a violent confrontation involving a local mobster, Sullivan's son, Michael Jr., is forced to flee with his father. They are pursued by Harlen Maguire, a contract killer hired by the Chicago Outfit. During their flight, Sullivan's situation worsens as he realizes his son's own actions have complicated their safety. Sullivan eventually confronts and kills Rooney, and later tracks down and kills Rooney's son, Connor. The pair eventually reach the town of Perdition. In the final confrontation, Sullivan faces Maguire and ultimately dies in his son's arms. The film ends with Michael Jr. remaining with a local couple, having never held a gun since his father's death.
- First release year
- 2002
- Runtime (minutes)
- 117
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Sam Mendes
- Writers
- David Self · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Tom Hanks · Michael Sullivan Sr.; Paul Newman · John Rooney; Jude Law · Harlen Maguire; Jennifer Jason Leigh; Stanley Tucci · Nitti; Daniel Craig; Tyler Hoechlin · Michael Sullivan's son
- Genres
- crime drama
- Themes
- father-son relationships; consequences of violence
- Tone and mood
- somber; stately
- Premise and plot tags
- mob; fugitive; historical
- Source material / true-story basis
- DC Comics graphic novel series by Max Allan Collins and Richard Piers Rayner
- Reception
- The film was well-received by critics, who praised the direction, cinematography, and performances.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 82% · scale: percentage · review count: 213; Metacritic · score: 72 · scale: 100 · review count: 36
- Production trivia
- Paul Newman's final live-action theatrical film role; The script was written to have only six lines of dialogue in the final 20 minutes
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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