after gorge myself on a variety of seemingly immature movie purchase on ex rental dvd and i figure that the time be right for a little serious drama and who better to provide it than sam mendes . for a number of reason and american beauty doesn not appeal to me as much a this film which be easily the dark thing that tom hank have ever do and probably one of the most underrated film of the last decade . for this be not a simple gangster tale lift from it graphic novel origin and and be simply wonderful to watch because of it . and despite my usual allergy to any film with tom hank name on it ( still can not watch big without want a cat to kick ) and i be glad i give this a try because this be one of those movie that you will kick yourself for if you miss it . normally squeaky clean hank play michael sullivan and a devote family man and father of two son grow up during prohibition in the early 1930 . he be also a professional hit man to mob bos john rooney ( paul newman ) but have manage to keep his job a secret from his son . but after his eldest ( tyler hoechlin ) witness his dad involve in a mob killing and the pair be force to go on the run a john seek to tidy the matter up . soon and father and son be pursue to chicago where a fellow hit man ( a menacing jude law ) be wait for them . on the face of it and it read like a pretty standard gangster film but a i have say and this isn not really about gangster at all . it about the relationship between a father and son thrown together in the most tragic of circumstance . hank be ( grit teeth ) superb a the tortured man who find out that everything have it price and little hoechlin be also good a sullivan son . in all honesty and there be not a single performance that i could single out a weak than the others the cast be pretty much faultless . a be the cinematography and costume ( and it not often i praise costume . ) which recreate the 30 with stunning effect . there have be so much effort to get everything right and it pay off in spade . this could easily have look rubbish they admit that the early 30 look be difficult to put down but it doesn not and that deserve every bit of credit . chicago especially look fantastic and line with hundred of rickety car from the era and fill with people in monochrome suit and hat . true time travel and even if a little cgi be need . the story be also a winner and offer a human face to what be often see a a stereotypical genre of movie villain . law be surprisingly menace a the almost mechanical killer maguire and prove that you do not have to be cagney or de niro or brando to play a gangster . the film be decidedly noir ish and drive rain and ill lit warehouse predominate but at least violence and kill be ( finally ) see to have an emotional and psychological impact on those who perpetrate and those who merely witness such act . the whole thing be evocative of a previous age and previous movie but it sweep away the old and refresh with a modern tale of redemption amid the tommy gun shootout and extortion racket . it can feel a little slow in place and especially if youre use to mass of gun play in movie like most modern audience ( like yours truly ) but sometimes and word can speak loud than action . mendes have deliver a fine follow up to his oscar win debut and a film which be as intelligent a it be beautiful to watch . road to perdition may not be to everyone taste but this be one dvd i shall not be exchange anytime soon .