Parents' Guide to

Road to Perdition

By Nell Minow, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Oscar-winning father-son drama has cursing, violence.

Movie R 2002 117 minutes
Road to Perdition Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 14+

Based on 2 parent reviews

thejokerspencil
thejokerspencil Parent of 1, 8, 9 and 14-year-old
January 29, 2009
age 14+

Powerful,Beautiful, Best Movie Ever

I loved this movie it was so incredible I can watch it over and over and over again it is one of those movies that will dazzle. Bueatiful music and fantastic acting as well as directing.
karamba
karamba Adult
April 9, 2008
age 13+

The desperate heart of early industrial America

A fine movie, with a neat theme of a father having to hide his true profession from his son, who nonetheless glimpses the truth one harrowing night. Good film noir mood. Excellent acting. Nice material to ponder on children's perceptions of their parent's work.
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

ROAD TO PERDITION centers on Michael Sullivan (Tom Hanks), a tough hit man in 1931 Chicago, whose loyalty and sense of duty keep him working for John Rooney (Paul Newman), a friendly but firm Irish mob boss. Rooney treats Sullivan like a son. Sullivan keeps his family out of his work, but when his curious son Michael Jr. (Tyler Hoechlin) sees something he isn't supposed to see, Rooney's jealous and paranoid son Connor (Daniel Craig) tries to make sure he doesn't talk by killing Sullivan's wife (Jennifer Jason Leigh) and youngest son (Liam Aiken), missing Michael Jr. With his surviving son, Sullivan sets out on a road trip as he seeks vengeance on Connor and tries to avoid his former affiliates. Along the way, he robs banks while his son drives the getaway car. To make matters worse, there is a sadistic, despicable man who photographs murder scenes (Jude Law) on Sullivan's trail, and he's willing to assist the murder process to get a good shot. Adventures ensue, and the Sullivans meet many people and go many places with mixed results until the film's inevitable conclusion.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2 ):
Kids say (8 ):

Road to Perdition is a powerful, beautifully made film about fathers and sons and sin and redemption. It overcomes minor flaws through beautiful directing and first-class performances. The story is interesting, with the father-son relationships and David Self's adapted screenplay being both realistic and intriguing.

However, some important factors, such as more about Jude Law's character and some essential aspects of Sullivan and Rooney's relationship are ignored, as this ambitious film is scared of being overlong, an oft-criticized quality of epic dramas like The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile. It leaves the viewer to decide, but if it had just gone out on a limb there, the film could've been saved from having some baffling moments at its conclusion.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Mafia-themed movies. How does this move compare to others in the genre? What do you see as the appeal of movies like these?

  • This movie was based on a novel. What do you think the challenges would be in adapting a novel into a movie?

  • How does this movie explore the theme of the relationship between fathers and sons?

Movie Details

  • In theaters: July 12, 2002
  • On DVD or streaming: February 25, 2003
  • Cast: Jude Law , Paul Newman , Tom Hanks
  • Director: Sam Mendes
  • Studio: DreamWorks
  • Genre: Drama
  • Run time: 117 minutes
  • MPAA rating: R
  • MPAA explanation: violence, language, and sexual situations
  • Last updated: August 9, 2023

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