There are plenty of people who can probably name the best Tom Hanks movies. Whenever his name comes up, viewers probably think of hit films like Splash, Big, Sleepless in Seattle, Forrest Gump, Philadelphia, Cast Away, etc. (Hanks himself has specific thoughts on his best flicks and the "casual slaughter" that comes with making them.) But there’s one movie that the 66-year-old actor thinks doesn't get referenced too often. With that, the two-time Oscar winner took some time to highlight the "incredibly important movie" during a chat.
Throughout his career, the A Man Called Otto star has proven he can master any genre, whether it be comedy or drama. While a number of his movies get referenced by fans, Tom Hanks feels the one people don't discuss is the acclaimed 2002 crime drama Road to Perdition. The underrated gem came up during the star's interview with CinemaBlend's own ReelBlend podcast when the hosts called the film one of their favorites from Hanks. Once it was brought up, the witty actor took the time to reflect on the movie, making specific note of his esteemed collaborators:
You just gave me chills, because I got news for ya, for one reason or another, no one references Road to Perdition. And that was a[n] incredibly important movie for me to go through. It was shot by Conrad Hall, and you have me in it, ‘Don mustache’ with a hat on it, but you also have two guys who turned out to be two of the biggest motion picture presences in the history of the industry with Jude Law and [Daniel] Craig. And I killed both of them…
The Sam Mendes-directed film clearly holds a special place in Tom Hanks’ heart today, and one quickly gets the feeling that he really wants it to be a part of his film legacy. Road to Perdition came at a time when Hanks was cranking out hit after hit film, and it only bolstered his Hollywood status. Based on David Self's graphic novel, the film saw Hanks play vengeful hitman Michael Sullivan seeking revenge on the mobsters who killed his family.
The production marked the final work of celebrated cinematographer Conrad Hall before he died in 2003. As Hanks pointed out, it includes some stellar early career performances by Jude Law, and Daniel Craig. The film ultimately garnered critical and commercial success while raking up multiple award nominations and, today, it's definitely worthy of recognition from fans.
During the interview, the hosts brought up a specific scene in the Oscar winner's character ended up killing Newman’s mobster, John Rooney, amid a rainstorm. The Toy Story alum took the opportunity to explain how important that moment was not only to the film but to Michael Sullivan:
But the moment you’re talking about right there is that moment where, hopefully, the entire audience sees, for the first time, what Michael Sullivan has seen all through: I am on this road to perdition because my son cannot be the killer that I am. One is he doesn’t have it inside him, and number two, I am not going to sentence him to that life.
The exquisitely shot murder sequence was the moment that encapsulated the movie’s redemption story, according to the movie star. Given how great it (and the overall flick) is, it's weird that more people don't reference it. Tom Hanks went on to share his two cents on how the film might age as time goes on and illustrated that with his own personal experience with classic motion pictures:
People always say, ‘What movies will they be talking about years from now?’ As a guy who watches Turner Classic Movies a lot, and the more obscure and unknown a movie from 1940s or 1950s the better, because I have no preconceived notions about it, I don’t know anything about it, and when you watch those movies and it’s crackerjack and it’s incredibly moving and all I can think of is ‘I’m so glad this movie lasts forever, so I got a chance to revisit it now. That might be the case with Road to Perdition.
Road to Perdition is a true classic, and one can definitely understand why Tom Hanks (who's getting buzz for his role in the polarizing Elvis biopic) has such strong feelings about it. One can only hope that more people manage to find it as the years go on and give it the respect it so rightfully deserves.
Anyone who's interested can watch Sam Mendes' crime adaptation using an active Netflix subscription. In the meantime, check out the Oscar winner’s latest release, A Man Called Otto, which is playing in theaters now and is part of the schedule of 2023 new movie releases.
