``This one was sold out,'' one Showcase Cinema 53 employee said to another as they went in to clean the theater after the 7:20 p.m. Friday showing of ``Road to Perdition.''

Although the movie was filmed outside Chicago and includes relatively few mentions of the Quad-Cities area (then the Tri-Cities), where much of the action took place, Quad-Citians emerged from the theater with glowing reviews.

About 30 of them were winners of a Dispatch and Rock Island Argus contest. Also at the 7:30 ``premiere'' was Max Alan Collins of Muscatine, author of the graphic novel on which the movie was based.

The story centers on a pack of men who deal in booze and women in Rock Island and Chicago during Prohibition. The characters John and Connor Rooney (Paul Newman and Daniel Craig) are based on Rock Island's infamous John Looney and his son, Connor.

However, other Quad-Cities citings are few. There was a glimpse of a storefront sign reading ``Rock Island Awnings'' and receipts made out to ``Connor Rooney, Rock Island.'' The drive to Chicago takes place along U.S. 6, which today runs past Quad City International Airport.

That mattered little to the audience.

Annette Essary of Viola was drawn to ``Road to Perdition'' because she's a big Tom Hanks fan. But her husband, Robert, said the movie still would have been great without the Oscar-winning Mr. Hanks, and she agreed.

Susan Collins remarked on the ``great acting and outstanding cinematography'' in the film.

Mr. Newman and Mr. Hanks are Oscar winners. Director Sam Mendes took home Oscars for best picture and best director for 1999's ``American Beauty.'' Cinematographer Conrad L. Hall earned a best cinematography Oscar for the same film.

``I thought it was powerful and beautiful,'' Kristen Bergren of Moline said. ``It lived up to all its good reviews.'' She said she has read two of Mr. Collins' novels and is beginning to read more about the history of the Looneys in Rock Island.

While many moviegoers praised the actors, some, like Susi McGown of Bettendorf, found it tough to believe Hanks -- who plays Rooney's violent pawn, Mike Sullivan -- as a killer.

``It was really good, but it was hard to believe Tom Hanks as a bad guy,'' she said. ``Still, it was very, very well done.''

Having Mr. Collins present brought some unusual reactions from the audience.

``It was a real thrill to hear everyone applaud when my name came up on the screen, and clap again at the end of the film,'' he said.

It was his third time seeing the movie, and the excitement doesn't seem to be wearing off. ``I'm very, very happy,'' Mr. Collins said.

He was headed across 53rd Street to Borders Books and Music to field more questions about how ``Road to Perdition'' traveled the road from idea to story to film.