In the past, what makes Tom Hanks so appealing is that whether he portrays a prison guard or a gay man with AIDS, he still plays an honorable man on the right side of morality. Some even argue that Hanks represents the 'everyman' people hope to be -- just a guy who always puts family first. In the Road to Perdition, however, it seems that Hanks takes a sinister turn as Michael Sullivan, a hit man for mob boss John Rooney (Paul Newman). But even as a Hitman, Hanks does not stray too far from any of his past roles and their high ethical standards.
As in Castaway, Hanks is the ordinary guy who is trapped in a situation he cannot easily get out of. And after Sullivan's oldest son Michael Sullivan Jr. (Tyler Hoechlin) witnesses a murder, Hanks' character protects his son from the mob with a claw grip on his gun.
Surprisingly, Hanks manages to bring a coldness to his character. Even then, Sam Mendes' meticulous direction contributes to the overall frigidity of the plot itself. At certain times, gunshot scenes play out in silence. Each event achingly crawls by. In the midst of everything, Paul Newman's John Rooney breaks into a jovial, Irish smile, but his benevolence cannot hide all the deaths he has authorized. And as a forensics photographer who does an odd job here and there, Jude Law takes on his small part with a morbid relish.
The character of Michael Sullivan is a pseudo bad guy, the only type of bad guy that Tom Hanks will allow himself to portray. The American Film Institute's Lifetime Achievement Award means exactly what it says. Tom Hanks has accomplished what most actors dream of: longevity in Hollywood. If anything, Hanks' longevity depends on his faithful audiences. While Road to Perdition twists and turns in a harrowing stop-go motion, the deliberate slow death-like feel might turn some people away.
