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Tom Hanks has established a reputation for portraying likable, decent men who strive to act morally. He’s the type of actor who, just by being on screen, adds a certain warmth to films like Saving Private Ryan and Forrest Gump. However, Hanks abruptly departed from his typical roles in 2002. He ventured into far darker territory in Road to Perdition, and it was one of his most subtly impactful performances to date.
Road to Perdition, directed by Sam Mendes and based on the graphic novel by Max Allan Collins and Richard Piers Rayner, takes place in the grim midst of the Great Depression. The film centers around Michael Sullivan, an Illinois hitman raised and employed by the Irish mobster John Rooney.
Sullivan’s family is devastated when his oldest son, Michael Jr., surreptitiously witnesses a murder involving his father and Connor Rooney (Rooney’s real son). Everything falls apart from that point on. Desperate to hide his identity, Connor kills Sullivan’s wife and younger son.
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Tom Hanks (July 9, 1956).
Road to Perdition (2002) Sam Mendes. pic.twitter.com/dz9psiLHSy
— Juan Ferrer (@JuanFerrerVila) July 9, 2022
What follows is both a road trip and a revenge mission. Sullivan and his surviving son travel across the Midwest, trying to track down Connor while being hunted by a creepy freelance assassin. As the two spend time on the run, a distant relationship slowly turns into a real bond.
Fundamentally, though, this is more than just a mob film. It’s a profoundly human tale of protection, guilt, and the anxiety of transferring one’s transgressions to the following generation. Mendes’ direction brings a somber elegance to the film, while the late Conrad L. Hall’s cinematography drenches it in shadows, perfectly mirroring the film’s moral grey.
Road to Perdition is a beautiful movie about how even the toughest gangsters follow a code. Or at least they did. Or at least they’re supposed to. It’s also a reminder that Paul Newman, even at 77, was one of film’s finest actors. Sam Mendes directed a masterpiece here. pic.twitter.com/iZ0wU0lz37
— Cinema Tweets (@CinemaTweets1) May 10, 2025
As Michael Sullivan, Hanks is nearly unrecognizable in person. Gone is the open-hearted charm; in its place is a quiet, restrained intensity. He speaks little, often letting silence do the heavy lifting. When he does act, it’s swift and deliberate. Watching him in this role feels like discovering a whole new layer of the actor we thought we knew.
Hanks, nevertheless, finds space for emotion in this heartless role. Yes, Sullivan is violent, but he is not cold-hearted. This performance is heartbreakingly human because of the quiet times he spends with his son and the fleeting moments of love and regret. Hanks is so captivating in this role because of the harmony he strikes between vulnerability and menace.
Road to Perdition always gets me.. Top film 💯 pic.twitter.com/aGWGxKriJp
— Sean Boothe (@SatNavtheGooner) June 8, 2025
When discussing Tom Hanks, Road to Perdition may not be the first movie that comes to mind, but it ought to be. This eerie, exquisitely crafted movie dares to examine the more sinister aspects of loyalty, redemption, and fatherhood. Hanks’ portrayal firmly establishes the narrative with unadulterated passion, demonstrating that he is equally captivating when not portraying the protagonist.
Over two decades later, Road to Perdition still holds up as a commendable crime drama, featuring one of Hanks’ best performances. You can check out the trailer of the film below:
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