road to perdition and a movie undeservedly overlook at that year oscars be the second work of sam mendes ( and in my opinion his best work ) and a director who three year before win oscar for his widely acclaim but controversial american beauty . this be a terrific movie and and at the same time ultimately poignant and sad . it a story of a relatively wealthy and happy family from outward appearance during difficult time of depression when the and michael sullivan and a father of two child and play by great tom hank ( i be not his admirer but ought to say that ) be a hit man for local mafia bos and play by paul newman . his eldest son and a thirteen year boy michael sullivan jr. and perfectly play by young tyler hoechlin and after year of blissful ignorance find out what be his father job and on what money their family live . prompt by his curiosity and his aspiration to know truth he accidentally become a witness of a murder and commit by john rooney and son of his father bos . such discovery strike an innocent soul and it cause numerous event that change his life forever . the atmosphere of the period and all the background and decoration be perfectly create and edit and cinematography be almost flawless while the story be well write . but the main line of the movie and the most important moment and point of the movie and the key factor of the movie success be difficult father son relation in bad time . they be show so deeply and strong and believable . tom hank do excellent and have one of the best performance of his career in a quite unusual role for him and all act across the board be superb . finally worth to mention a very nice score by paul newman and in the result we get an outstanding work of all people involve in make this beautiful ( but one more time sad ) masterpiece . i believe road to perdition belongs to great achievement of film making of this decade and undoubtedly one of the best film of the year . my grade positive .