Thursday, June 09, 2011

1576 - Road to Perdition

I haven't seen this film in years.  I forgot just how damn fine of a film it is.  Given that it's been out for almost a decade you'll excuse me if I go into some territory that might be SPOILERS.  But seriously, folks.  It's been out for ten years - if you were going to see it, wouldn't you have?

I've been on a revenge film kick for research I'm doing, and there's no surprise why it's such a popular genre, it's just one of those things that's so damn primal.  This is one of those films where you just know that each and every shot of meticulously planned and meaningful.  The way that Mendes using sound here is very clever and integrated.  I imagine his experience in the theatre has informed some of his style choices on the screen.  The film is full of wonderful performances from Tom Hanks, Paul Newman, Jude Law, Daniel Craig.  If I have a gripe it's that there is a framing narration where Tom Hank's son in the film mentions the various stories about his father, how some say he was a good man, and others that there was no good in him - the problem is in the casting - Tom Hanks couldn't be unlikeable if he tried.  Fair enough, he starts the film off a bit cold, removed, but he's still nowhere near the guy you avoid in a dark alley.  I think that they could have made him a bit rougher around the edges.

So if you haven't seen this film you really should.  It's not something I really ever heard spoken about, but it's just a really wonderful film from top to bottom

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