Movie Review — The Road to Perdition
This is the first time I have watched Road to Perdition since it was in the cinemas in 2002. This is possibly one of my favourite crime, gangster movies I have seen. In Rock Island, Illinois, 1931, Michael Sullivan’s twelve-year-old son of the same name was curious about what his father did for work, hiding in the car seat, in a stormy rainy night. Sullivan and Connor Rooney, his boss (John Rooney) son. Through a small hole in a door of a warehouse, where they were sent just to talk to Fin McGovern, the altercation caused Connor to shoot Fin, and then Sullivan to gun down his Fin’s men. Sullivan catches his son witnessing the killings, who was shocked but agreed with his father to remain silent.
Conner, through envy and jealousy, I think unbeknown to his father tried to set up Michael Sullivan the next night, giving him note in an envelope that meant Sullivan’s execution. But Sullivan was quicker, and managed to escape within an inch of his life. But meanwhile, Connor murdered his wife and younger son. Michael was kept back at school for fighting in class. Michael and his son escape and ride to Chicago, hoping to work for Al Capone, and meet with Frank Nitty, who was in charge of operations there. Sullivan wants revenge…
I think that is a good introduction to the movie without giving too much away. This is movie where, if Michael Sullivan had his way, would have liked his son to have been told what he did for work, rather when his son him kill people. Yet, the bond between them as they go into hiding would become strong. His boss, John Rooney took him in when he was an orphan, so John was really a father to him, and to his son’s a uncle or grandfather figure. Connor, would have been like a brother figure. That is what would hurt so much.
Now as a converted Catholic, I am seeing these movies like these in a new light. Especially when these characters are Catholic themselves. I do think in this film. Michael Sullivan believed, but was conflicted Catholic. He prayed. He no doubt justified his job. While on the run, stopped at a church in the country to pray. Yet, when confronting John Rooney in a parish, towards the end, was willing to receive the Eucharist, which Catholics believe is the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ in a state of Mortal Sin, as did John. When talking to his former boss for the final time, John said “One thing is certain, neither of us will get to heaven”. How sad, that both would have known enough about the faith where they could have repented; but by saying that, the never really wanted enough to have God in their lives. I never saw any of these characters myself as hypocrites as they were detached living their lives in the world, knowing what they were doing is wrong but where unwilling to make changes in their lives to stop sinning.
There is violence in the movie, swearing and so on as you would expect in the crime underworld. It is a sad movie, with Sullivan wanting to have revenge for his loss, knowing the police most likely, given the mob connections there would be no justice. Yet as we know, revenge is for God alone. We have no right to put the law into our own hands. God would repay. Michael Sullivan Jr. would grow up quickly over the six-week period when this movie is set in during the Winter of 1931, hiding out from mobsters who wanted to kill them both. Yet, while still an adolescent in a world where the term ‘teenager’ was still a couple of decades away, I also see, as young as he was, he was well on the way to becoming a man. This movie could be one of the forgotten classics.
Directed: Sam Mendes Starring: Tom Hanks, Paul Newman, Jude Law, Tyler Hoechlin, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Stanley Tucci & Daniel Craig Genre: Drama Rating: 16+ Year: 2002
Note: This movie review is from Carl Strehlow, a valued member of Coffin Nation.
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