GRAN TORINO
Starring: Clint Eastwood, Bee Vang, Ahney Her and Cory Hardrict
Directed by: Clint Eastwood
Rated R for language throughout and some violence
By John Delia
Clint Eastwood does it again with Gran Torino, a brilliant film that deals with life and it’s stumbling blocks. Giving another great performance in the lead role, Eastwood shows his mastery for portraying subjects that are interesting and imaginative. If you like dramatic films that give you a view of society that you don’t readily see, than Gran Torino is for you.
Eastwood portrays Walt Kowalski, an iron-willed and inflexible Korean War veteran living in a changing world, who is forced by his immigrant neighbors to confront his own long-held prejudices. A retired autoworker Kowalski fills his days with home repair, beer and monthly trips to the barber. Though his late wife’s final wish was for him to take confession, for Walt–an embittered veteran of the Korean War who keeps his M-1 rifle cleaned and ready–there’s nothing to confess. And no one he trusts enough to confess to other than his dog, Daisy.
The people he once called his neighbors have all moved or passed away, replaced by Hmong immigrants, from Southeast Asia, he despises. Resentful of virtually everything he sees–the drooping eaves, overgrown lawns and the foreign faces surrounding him; the aimless gangs of Hmong, Latino and African American teenagers who all think the neighborhood belongs to them; the callow strangers his children have grown up to be–Walt is just waiting out the rest of his life. Until the night someone tries to steal his `72 Gran Torino.
Eastwood is at his best when his films involve a life struggle. As Walt, a cantankerous old codger who has pushed away his children and makes war on his new neighbors, Eastwood commands the screen. He is very convincing here with his crass and no holds barred racist attitude that touches almost every ethnic group. I enjoyed his banter between his son’s who seem to want the best for him but more than likely want to move on from the years of not being loved.
As a director Eastwood brings out some very good performances in the young teens that are the antagonists and antithesis within the storyline. Vang does a great job as Tao, the Hmong boy who is the target of a gang and Her gives a touching performance as his sister who sees the good side of Walt.
The film does contain a lot of racial slurs and is Rated R for language throughout and some graphic violence, so be cautioned.
FINAL ANALYSIS: Gran Torino is a very good film that has great acting by Eastwood and visualizes a seedier side to life. (3.5 of 5 Palm Trees)