ROAD TO PERDITION (2002) - July 7, 2009 (Third Viewing)
Wow! This was even better than I remembered it being, and I remembered it being quite good. About a mob enforcer who, with his eldest son in tow, seeks vengeance for the death of his wife and youngest son. I'm not sure if it occurred to me before, but this is essentially a revenge movie, which is probably one of the reasons why it's so good. It's also a mob movie, and a damn good one, as well as a movie about the relationship between fathers and sons. I can't possibly say enough about Sam Mendes' direction and Conrad Hall's sumptuous cinematography; I don't think there's a single frame of this film that doesn't look amazingly good. Thomas Newman's memorable and affecting score complements the visuals perfectly, and the performances are all pretty much perfect (Tom Hanks and Jude Law both give stellar performances playing against type). There's also a few scenes in this film, such as the final confrontation between Tom Hanks and Paul Newman, which easily rank among my favourites. Good stuff. ****