Well made and beautifully photographed. Tom Hanks' performance is the film in microcosm: sober, competent, and workmanlike - nothing dazzling though (if he gets another Academy Award for this then there is NO justice). Jude Law - while good - is badly miscast. Paul Newman is very good. The superb Stanley Tucci is wasted in a small role as is the terrific Harry Groener (in a tiny role). The film would have benefited from some tightening and more creative casting of leads. In spite of a very predictable ending it is still worth your while.… Expand

A very good movie. Hanks, Newman and Law all turn in great performances. The (unknown to me anyway) child actors do a fine job as well, which is rarely the case with young actors such as these. I will admit, the bank robbery of all the dirty money was, perhaps, a little "thin" on the believability scale, but that is only a slight criticism in the wake of a very good movie. Mendes is could quit now, and already he has accomplished more than 90% of the directors out there. Kudos.… Expand

I'm still torn between Road to Perdition and Minority Report as my current pick for best movie of the year, but they both are among my favorite movies ever. Great.

With this movie sam mendes proves that "american beauty"wasn't a fluke.to be frank though,this is not as good as his debut feature,but still he's the most talented director to come out of britain or anywhere else in recent years.hanks proves yet again why he's one of the most talented actors in hollywood and newman proves why he's such an acting legend.both newman and hanks are excellent,specially newman but if there's anyone wo deserves an award for this film its conrad hall,the cinematographer,whose cinematography is simply breathtaking.jude law and tyler hoechlin and the rest of the supporting cast lend strong support though a gifted and talented actress like jennifer jason leigh is grossly wasted.i'll be waiting with great anticipation for mendes's next film which could be 3 years away.… Expand

I just recently saw American Beauty and I thought it was the finest film ever made. So, naturally, I decided to see this too. Being a Tom Hanks fan had something to do with it as well. Before I saw it, I thought, "How could this be better than American Beauty? It's not possible." So I didn't expect it to be. And I was right. It's not as good, but it is still incredible. It is different than other mob films. It has a moral. And Tom Hanks is, as usual, terrific. Likewise with Newman. A definite keeper. Mendes does it again.… Expand

Pretty decent movie, seems slow at times, but simple would be a better term...as much as i admire Tom Hanks, i just don't think he fit the role...gasp!

First of all, ardent Jennifer Jason-Leigh fans will be disappointed to see the fearless actress so utterly defanged in a small role as The Housewife. Also, the boy recovers awfully quick following the film's pivotal moment. And last of all, it seems like a contrivance that the Tom Hanks character couldn't figure out the dirty dealings of Rooney's son. Which could all be overlooked if "The Road to Perdition" wasn't such an ordeal to sit through. If not for the people's good will towards Hanks, they'd be leaving in droves during the film's first hour. This is not a near-miss. It's a misfire. … Expand

Ponderous and boring with characters popping up unexpectedly. Very well acted. Beautifully photographed (some shots appear to be choreographed) with very rich atmosphere, it's the kind of film that is going to be seriously overated. Stick to "Bonnie and Clyde".

This is the best movie I've watched this year. It's visually stunning, and at first look, the plot might seem flimsy, but it really bursts with interesting foils. Compare Michael (son) and Connor Rooney. Compare their fathers. Paul Newman and Tom Hanks are two men who are entrenched in the same business, who are murderers, but raise their sons with fantastically different results. Both love, both cherish, both are ravaged by their crimes, but in the end, Paul Newman's charm is fruitless, Tom Hanks's melancholic goodness yields hope. Please see this. … Expand

Self important, unconvincing, predictable. Jude Law was the only one worth watching in this. Miller's Crossing by the Cohen Bros is about a hundred times better than this waste of time.

This film was excellant except for one detail. I just never felt that the reason for Hanks' family being murdered were that credible. Considering the time in which the film is set and the closeness of Hanks' family and his mob boss' family there really was no reason to take action against Hanks and his family, even if you are the spoiled, idiotic, doomed by hubris son of a mob boss. With that aside this film was beautifully acted, directed and filmed. I love films that are well made with great stories and this was one of them. Mendes developed such complex characters that I am unable to get by what I feel is a flimsy motive for murder, but still this film is an excellent follow up to his flawless "American Beauty".… Expand

It's no godfather, but it is a touching movie, one of the best in years.

It's truly a great film.

Hollywood has a real problem in daring to make controversial films and to take real artistic decisions. They always play it safe. That reduces the films to something that does not offend anyone but do not surprise either. The Road to Perdition is yet another example of this. I give the film a 5 thanks to good visuals. Long live european film!

This rain-drenched movie is not only a spectacularly entertaining adventure, but also a deep story of a father and son, working in unison for a common cause. The cinematography is amazing and the story is the same. Hanks serves up another Oscar-worthy performance in a surprisingly downbeat role. This film is creative and dramatic and lags on no levels. The acting is fabulous and the dreary atmosphere only excentuates the character's yearning for revenge and the longing he now feels as a result of his profession. This is powerful film making and is, by far, one of the best films of 2002.… Expand

It's a cautionary tale: If you're naughty, you might live a boring pointless life then get shot. But not soon enough.

Oustanding.

A brilliant film, actors are very good. A very simple movie, but very stylised also. It's realy a great film.

Just missed being perfect.

As emotionally gripping as a Tylenol commercial.

Great performances (give the oscar to Paul Newman NOW!) and beautiful cinematogrophy! But, it's not really a Capone-film and it goes more to the drama way. But the soundtrack en the director brings everything in it's wright order! Sam Mendes' suprising movie is excellent!

An excellent film. The use of contrasting levels of sound throughout the film really heightens the drama in the shoot-em-up sequences. Hanks hasn't been this good since "Philadelphia," and Newman's role is understated and well-executed. Sam Mendes is clearly a solid 2 for 2 after this one. I have a feeling when he hangs 'em up, he'll be right up there with the greats. Oh, and I appreciated his use of the Uroboros. … Expand

This is high quality stuff. I think Mendes shows his hand a bit to much with the opening shot (wouldn't it have been nice to just use sound there) and the movie feels a touch slow pacing wise, but overall the words are strong, the acting is strong, and the cinematography and sound are spectacular. This is a director using all that film has to offer to compose a quality picture with humanity and a touch of grace. Well done by everyone.… Expand

A lot of shooting and driving, but not much else going on here. None of the action sequences develop any sort of momentum, and in the serious moments no one seems to have much of anything to say. This movie was so thin and uncompelling it made me desperate to see Goodfellas.

I hate the idea of 'coverage'. the practice of getting a bunch of closeups, med, long shots, etc in the hopes of editing something coherent out of that. it seems to smack of the complete lack of 'visual design' and a vision for the final work. this movie has a definite visual design. staid, paced, poetic. BEAUTIFUL cinematography. many shots where you know it must be a vfx shot but you just can't tell at all. and in all, just completely authentic. in addition. it's cinematic. so many films cut and compose simply because it's got to be done. there is no underlying purpose or rationale. this movie has everything thought out and every decision is meant to evoke and to express. great performances from everyone, despite the fact that this has got to be one of the sparsest utterance of lines in a modern movie. everyone is just tremendously stoic but you get a read on what's going on inside anyway. cool retelling of lonewolf and cub too for fans of the manga.… Expand

This movie was near perfect. My complaints are in the failure to develop three characters: Jude Law, Hanks's wife, and Connor Rooney. These failures are forgiveable in that the movie is certainly among the best of the recent past and certainly will be a major Oscar contender. Just wished for another 30 minutes to figure out what was going through those 3 characters' heads.

While not as good as American Beauty, it is still a powerhouse of a film from beginning to end. I'm not sure if I would rate this the best movie of the year over Minority Report, but it's certainly one of the two best of the year so far.

Soggy and very convinced of its heaviness, but ultimately not much worth here caring about beyond the cinematography. Hanks shows some fire, Newman is terrific, and Law is just weird. The kid is awful.