This movie...is very well made. You have your better than typical star power: Paul Newman (John Rooney) as the grizzled head of an Irish crime family; Tom Hanks (Michael Sullivan) as the enforcer trapped by his indebtedness; Jude Law (Harlen Maguire) as the soulless hitman-for-hire who shoots his victims in the traditional sense and then shoots (photos) of the corpse. You also have your better than typical, oftentimes graphic, depiction of Depression-era America. Unfortunately, you have a less than typical story and character development.
Sullivan is the central character, and yet, there's only a brief mention - almost in passing - of the situation that has led to his indebtedness to Mr. Rooney. Since the audience does not experience Sullivan's struggle before Rooney's rescue, how can we REALLY understand it? The movie clearly hints at the conflict that Sullivan feels between the right that he would like to do and the wrong that he must do. This dichotomy is never explored. As good as Hanks' performance is, his character isn't anguished or remorseful. All of this leads to feeling no sympathy for a central character that is designed to evoke sympathy. |
