Movie Review : Gran Torino

Gran Torino is a clichéd redemption tale, with Clint Eastwood playing the character of an abrasive, bigoted old war veteran. And while it might not be a pioneering film, because we’ve seen it all before, it is still entertaining, partly because of Eastwood’s charisma and screen presence (he’s 80) and partly because we’re all suckers for the well-worn formula where the bigot turns out to have a heart of gold.

OK, so then Eastwood is Walt Kowalski, an unpleasant old widower, who’s not got too many friendly words to say to anyone. He doesn’t get along with his sons, and has a majorly racist attitude to the Asian family next door; he liberally spews words like “gooks” and “chinks” around. When Thao (Bee Vang) the Hmong boy next door tries to steal Walt’s prized car, a vintage Gran Torino, as part of a gang initiation, and fails, loner Walt is forced to interact with the family. Thao’s older sister Sue (Ahney Her) persuades cranky old Walt to come eat at a family gathering, and when Walt unintentionally helps drive away gang-members from the family’s front-yard, he becomes the neighborhood hero.

As a part of his atonement for trying to steal Walt’s car, Thao, according to his traditionalist family, must come work for Walt for a week. In that time, Walt, already softened by Sue’s friendly attitude, realizes that Thao needs his help . Will old cranky Walt be able to deliver it in time ?

I’ve never considered Eastwood a great actor, so it comes as no surprise that he overdoes it here. Eastwood’s character Walt, is a nasty old man, atleast superficially, so Eastwood goes around growling at people in the film. Vang and Her who play the brother sister team next door aren’t very good actors either, Her being the better of the two.

This is an old-fashioned sort of film. Walt is an old-fashioned sort of a guy, not given to small-talk or niceties after his wife’s death. He spends hours polishing his Gran Torino, and sitting on the porch chewing jerky and reading the newspaper. The film is like him, no frills, rather plain jane-ish when compared to other films. It tells a simple story, and although Eastwood loads it up with every trick in the book, this ham-handed look at goodness in people, leaves you all warm and fuzzy and hopeful.

This film has violence and profanity and is unsuitable for kids under 15.