This is a movie about a hit man with a family. Michael Sullivan is an enforcer for John Rooney, an Irish Mob Boss. Michael is out on a job one night with another colleague a it goes sideways. The man was not supposed to be killed but he was supposed to just be talked to. When his colleague decides to start a gun fight. On top of all of that Michael's son, Michael Jr., hid away in the car to see what his dad does for a living only to find out the scary truth. Jr.'s discovery leads to Rooney having to call the order to kill Jr. and anyone who gets in the way so his secret doesn't get out. When the man hired to kill Jr. kills Sr.'s wife and youngest son by mistake Sr. and Jr. start going on the run to save their lives and escape the mob.
Now, other than the great Tom Hanks there are other phenomenal actors that star in this movie: Paul Newman and Jude Law are some of them. I was really excited when I read the description of the film. I was thinking that the father was going to be Paul Newman and the son was going to be Tom Hanks. I did not think that Mr. Hanks would be playing a hit man. I mean we have seen him kill people in other film so far but it was because he was a soldier and fight for what was right, not to keep up the honor of "The Family".
Like I said we have Mr. Newman in this movie as well. He was the only person anyone wanted to play this role. He did a great job! His character was very likable and you felt sorry for him through the movie was well. He has a son who wants nothing but revenge, and is stealing from his father right from his nose, and he has Michael Sullivan Sr. who he has always loved like a son. Both of his son have betrayed him, one on purpose and one on accident, and he hates that he has to now kill Sr.. It's crazy because he is the man in charge he could call off the whole thing and no one would have to die for Jr.'s curiosity. Yet, he can't because he can't be seen as weak or a fool. It's crazy that he has the power to change things and the chooses not to.
Then there is Jude Law. I have not seen very many of his films but I will say that one of my favorite films that I saw in 2016 was Genius which he is the star of. He was amazing in that role so I was excited to see what him in this. I was not disappointed. He was very creepy in this film, and rightfully so for the character that he played. It wasn't even a crazy creepy he had a subtly to his creepiness that kept his character intriguing. I personally wish he wasn't playing a "bad guy" in the film but he did a wonderful job in his role.
The new comer, and narrator of our story, is Tyler Hoechlin who plays Michael Sullivan Jr.. He really make his big jump into acting at the age of 14. He has got to be one of the best young actors that I have ever seen. I say this because most of the time when we see young actors they are in a kids film or a comedy. They are not a thriller drama about the mob. His character is so interesting to watch go from a curious young boy to a few months later a man running from the "law" with his father. Then going back to a boy again.
What I really love the most is how even though there is a lot of blood, violence, crime, and darkness in the film it's really about a father's love for his kids and his family. It sounds crazy for film to sound like a family film but it really is. It's not a traditional family film but it is. You can tell from the beginning that Sr. is not the one to really shows his emotions. He plays his hand close to his chest but you can tell that he really does love his kids. What I really like about this film is that Jr. starts to realize that his father does love him and tries to understand him rather than be afraid of him. It's nice that they start to a real relationship by the end of the film and it's both of them try and reach out and meet either rather than it being one sided.
I really didn't know what to make of this film when it was over. I thought it was good but I really did get it. Then after mulling it around in my head for a few days I realized how much there was in the film that you don't see right off. There was so much more than meets the eye and it just hits you at different point over the next few days. You start thinking about this film and you don't realized you are even thinking about it until you get an epiphany.
I would have to say anyone who like thrillers or mob movies needs to watch this film. It's not like other films of either genre. It's almost its own genre really. It's a film that really surprises you in an unsurprising way.
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