Gran Torino (DVD, 2009, Widescreen)

Clint Eastwood has hinted that his role as bigoted Korean War veteran Walt Kowalski — a gun-toting widower living in Detroit near the struggling Ford auto plant and even nearer to the Asian immigrants crowding him out of his run-down, racially mixed hood — may be his last role as an actor. Eastwood, 78, has two Oscars for directing Unforgiven and Million Dollar Baby, and two nominations for starring in them. But an Oscar for acting? Not yet. Get busy, Academy.

I don't think Eastwood will ever turn down a juicy role. But Gran Torino, named after the 1972 car that Walt garages and polishes like a symbol of his idealized past, is a humdinger of a valedictory. Directed by Eastwood from a script by newcomer Nick Schenk, Gran Torino is Eastwood's hell-raising salute to every hardass he's ever played. Cranky Walt often communicates in a growl that sounds like a demon in need of an exorcist (wait till you hear Eastwood rasp a few bars of the film's memorable title song). Walt squints at the Hmong family next door, especially Thao (Bee Vang), a teen with a rustler's eye on the Torino. Thao's smart-mouth sister, Sue (the wonderful Ahney Her), can defrost Walt with a beer and food that isn't his usual beef jerky, but only Walt's dog, Daisy, dares to get too close. Cocking his rifle when gangbangers intrude on his territory, Walt snarls, "Get. Off. My. Lawn." Terrific stuff. And it gets better when Walt confronts some hoods playing grabass with Sue: "Ever notice how you come across somebody once in a while that you shouldn't have messed with? That's me."

And that "me" isn't just Walt. It's the Man With No Name taking aim in those spaghetti Westerns. It's Dirty Harry Callahan asking, "Do you feel lucky, punk?" It's William Munny, from Unforgiven, digging deep to note, "It's a hell of a thing, killing a man. You take away all he's got and all he's ever gonna have." It's even Frankie Dunn, the fight manager from Million Dollar Baby, who knows "tough ain't enough."

Tough has never been enough for Eastwood. It's a credit to the film's twist ending that Walt exorcises his demons without easy violence or bogus redemption. A lifetime in movies runs through this prime vintage Eastwood performance. You can't take your eyes off him. The no-frills, no-bull Gran Torino made my day.

Clint Eastwood directed himself in this 2009 movie that blows us away in a figurative way this time. Clint portrays Walt Kowalski, a retired auto worker in Detroit who has also served as a Marine in a bloodbath in Korea and who has just become a widower as the movie opens. Estranged from his two grown sons, he still has friends who attend his wife's funeral. But his bitterness sours the scene with gritty words, and his disgust with his grandchildren who have piercings and tattoos is very apparent. And to make matters worse, a Hmong family is moving next door--a huge family with grandparents and lots of children and grandchildren--most of whom do not even speak English.

So where is Hmong? As one of the granddaughters explains, the Hmong culture originated in Thailand, Laos, and China, and they fought with the USA in Vietnam. Walt originally refuses to have any contact with the family and even takes his rifle out on a mission when the young grandson Thao (Bee Vang) is forced in a gang initiation to steal Walt's beloved Gran Torino. But things shift when the family's granddaughter Sue (Anney Her) gets in trouble with a black gang. Walt rescues her with his carry-along weapon. And the gratitude that the family shows to Walt is overwhelming: flowers, food, drink, gifts--all of which he tries to refuse.

But the iceberg is melting, and eventually Walt through persistence by Sue ends up at a party at the family's home. And he ends up commenting that he has more in common with these people than he has with his own family. In fact, he becomes the father to Thao that he never was to his own sons--teaching him manly traits, getting him his first job in construction, and giving him tools. But we don't live happily ever after.

I won't spoil the rest of the story, but it is well worth your time. Eastwood, despite his bitterness and cynicism in this role, has a soft side which surfaces in his relationship to this family. You will find yourself laughing at some of Walt's comments and crying at the gang activity which is starting to become more prevalent in this country.

This movie teaches tolerance, forgiveness, persistence, and friendship. The Catholic priest Father Janovich (Christopher Carley), whom Walt initially disdains, is somewhat the symbol of the theme of this movie. Persistent in his desire to reach Walt because his deceased wife asked him to, Father Janovich becomes a key player in the movie. And it is his sermon that we hear at the end.

You must see this movie!

Cynical Korean War veteran Walt Kowalski played by Clint Eastwood
(Million Dollar Baby, Blood Work, Outlaw Josey Wales, Unforgiven, etc)
must confront his Hmong immigrant neighbors- and his own long-
held prejudices-when the family's tennage son, Thao (Bee Vang),
tries to steal Walt's beloved 1972 Gran Torino. Walt soon assumes
the unlikely role of guardian angel to young Thao and his sister
Sue (Ahney Her), both of whom are vulnerable to local gang influences.
The movie is also directed by Eastwood who has done his best work
recently as director in such movies as CHANGELING, LETTERS FROM IWO
JIMA, FLAGS of OUR FATHERS, MYSTIC RIVER, etc. and here he does
another excellent job of acting/directing. While not having quite
as much action as many of Eastwoods movies-it does have a bit of a
surprise ending that many will want to go another way. Overall, this
is a very good movie that will give most Drama movie lovers a good
night of entertainment and that devotees of Clint Eastwood s movies
will find to be a mandatory purchase. Good movie overall.

Actor/Director Clint Eastwood (Forgiveness (1992) and Million Dollar Baby (2004) plus many more) gives an outstanding performance and once again proves his directing skills in this movie about an old Korean War Veteran who is full of hate toward everyone in his life.

Following the death of his wife, Walt Kowalski (Eastwood) is alone and full of disgust for everyone in his life, especially those whom he feels have taken over his neighborhood. He remembers back on days gone by when he knew everyone around him. Now he looks around and sees only foreigners who have taken over his life.

Following a number of incidents, one involving his neighbor, a Hmong teenage boy, and his Gran Torino, Walt (Eastwood) embarks on a journey of self discovery, he is befriended by the boys sister and Walt discovers there is more to life than hate and bitterness.

The story flows from the beginning as we get to know the characters and leads to a surprisingly touching ending where Walt (Eastwood) shows his true spirit.

This movie deals with intolerance, racism and ignorance of others and shows that even the most hate filled individual can be won over with love and kindness.

I recommend that you watch this movie and perhaps you will walk away with a different view of life.

Rated 5 of 5 stars for a movie that should be seen by everyone and will be enjoyed by all who see it.

This is definitely one unforgettable film with an unforgettable performance by Clint Eastwood as both Actor and Director. At 78, he proves age has not withered his talents, or taken the luster from a marvelous career. The buzz is that he may receive an Oscar nomination for this simple but character driven story. Clint, as Walt Kowalski, is a Korean War Vet, retired Auto worker, who has lost his wife. All he has left his his beer, his dog, his gun, and his negative racist attitudes. Things are at a boiling point as Hmong immigrants move into Clint's blue collar neighborhood, and things spill over when Eastwood's neighbor, Thao, (Bee Vang) (encouraged and harassed by neighborhood thugs) attempts to steal Eastwood's mint condition '72 Ford Torino. Eastwood, ever the scowling curmudgeon accepts Thao's offer to make amends. He and his sister Sue (Anney Her), soon become a part of Kowalski's (Eastwoods) life. Some of the sharpest moments are when Eastwood's character confronts harassing neighborhood thugs in typical, snarling Dirty Harry mode; in that moment, the magic returns and Eastwood's performance is as strong as anything in his past. This is the Eastwood, as we want to see him, and if this is his last performance (as he has mentioned it might be), this is definitely Eastwood, the actor we want to remember. Definitely a triumph. He's the man.