have be drive out of the house and into the theater by the sweltering heat and i could not have be more pleased . the road to perdition and direct by sam mendes ( american beauty ) and be destine to become one of the great movie of all time . perhaps i be just get old while perhaps i have just see the same theme recycle time and again . but this movie be indeed different . the story open with young michael sullivan jr. face out to the sea and contemplate the duality of his father legacy one of the best men to ever live and one of the most evil . this duality snake it way throughout the movie . the story revolve around crime bos john rooney ( paul newman ) and michael sullivan ( tom hank ) and the young man rooney once take in and who now serve a his personal angel of death . rooney be tie by blood to his own son and but tie by love and loyalty to michael . young michael jr. and intrigue by the story he read and steal away in his father car one night while dad go off to work with connor rooney and heir to the family business . connor let the situation get out of hand and and what be mean only to be a warning turn into murder witness by michael jr. upon the discovery that young michael have see what he should not have see and the plot be set in motion a conflict loyalty collide . soon and michael sr. be on the run with his young son and pursue by contract killer harlen the reporter maguire ( jude law ) . i will disclose no further detail in order to avoid any potential spoiler . however and i strongly encourage viewer to examine the many duality that present themselves in the movie represent problem between son and father ( michael sr and jr. and john rooney and son connor ) and between the world at home and the world at work and between good and evil and between those who pretend to be men of god and those who really be and between clean money and dirty and between the town of perdition and perdition a hell . and along the way and savor the visual brilliance of cinematographer conrad l. hall ( 9 nomination and 2 oscar for best cinematography ) represent rain pour off fedora and shot through mirror ( especially on swing door ) and tommy gun flash from out of the shadow and absent any sound . not only have 75 year old hall give u perhaps the best cinematic product of his career and but 77 year old paul newman offer one of his best performance ever . yes . i may be get old . but i have see a lot . and this be fresh and invigorate . the road to perdition present a lasting and love tribute to the gangster genre and to film of the 40 and to dark comic book figure lurk in the darkness and to villain and hero and to american film in general . go see it .