A Classic Mobster Film

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A Classic Mobster Film “Every father is a hero to his son.” This is a tagline from the 2002 film Road to Perdition, written by David Self and directed by Sam Mendes. The film is based off of the graphic novel Road to Perdition written by Max Allan Collins. The film sets a dark tone of a 1930’s era of great depression, mobsters, and tommy guns. The film Road to Perdition keeps its audience entertained with its dramatic scenes and moments of father/son relationships. The film Road to Perdition shows what life is like during the Great Depression. The film stars Tom Hanks as Michael Sullivan Sr., a mafia enforcer to mafia boss John Rooney. Sullivan Sr. has unsurpassed loyalty and has done terrible things in order to provide for his family and keep a close relationship with Mr. Rooney which makes his son, Connor Rooney jealous. One night, as Sullivan Sr. is performing a task for Mr. Rooney, Sullivan Jr. hides in his car and witnesses his father and Connor Rooney murder a couple of people. In order to keep him silent, Mr. Rooney orders his son, Connor Rooney, to murder Sullivan Sr.’s family. Now betrayed and left with nothing, save for his surviving son Sullivan Jr., Sullivan Sr. must now take revenge on the people he once served, but also keep his son safe from a psychotic, but effective hit man hired by Mr. Rooney. Sullivan Sr. and Sullivan Jr. learn many lessons about life, fatherhood, loyalty, and redemption as they make their journey on the road to Perdition. Hanks’ performance as Sullivan Sr. in the film Road to Perdition is phenomenal. He is terrifying as a loyal mafia enforcer who takes revenge on the mafia family he once served for so long. Billy Ray of Popcorn Junkie describes Hanks’ performance: “Hanks carries this film on his gifted shoulders from beginning to end, adding another Oscar worthy performance to his plethora of cinematic winners” (Ray 2002).

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