We watched a ton of movies this weekend for some reason. Friday, with the rainy evening, we ordered pizza and introduced the kids to E.T. I hadn't seen that movie in at least ten years. It held up really well and we all loved it. It's amazing how darn CUTE that little Drew Barrymore was!
We also saw what I think is my favorite Tom Hanks movie, Road to Perdition. I think I'd seen in before but not all the way through. What a great, thoughtful movie! Paul Newman does a great turn as a truly evil villain, but our boy Tom--you have to be a gifted actor to turn such a bad guy into a sympathetic character.
I'm not going to spoil the ending here, but if you've seen it, here's the question I'm left with: was he redeemed at the end? And if he was, what does that say about his life? And if he wasn't, what does that say about God?
4 comments:
I haven't seen Road to Perdition since it came out but now I want to rent it to see the ending again. I remeber thinking it was very well done even though you know what is going to happen. I didn't think he was redeemed - toward the end he killed the right guys but it didn't make up for the life he lead to that point. However, now that you bring it up another viewing is needed.
Hanks is an extremely versatile actor, I have always loved Newman, just don't like their politics. Redemption is always possible, I'm just glad the decision isn't mine.
I am enjoying your blog... you impress me with your ability to coherently put together words and deal with 4 children! Hal and I loved Road to Perdition - makes me want to rent it again
Spoiler Alert: I do not think Mike Sullivan was redeemed at the end of the movie. When he apologized in the final scene, he was apologizing to his son for who he was and it was not a request for forgiveness from God. The movie was a tragedy in that, although Mike Sullivan may have had good in him, he lived a bad life and neither asked for nor received forgiveness. That was the point of the title: he traveled the Road to Perdition, and arrived.
Post a Comment