29 out of 30 people found the following review helpful:
*** May contain spoilers ***
Gran Torino
Burtonbach from ,
4th March, 2009
Eastwood at almost 79 years old should get the plaudits for just turning up on set these days, however there's no room for sentimentality here, as though it may not be perceived in years to come as his best offering it is pure gold nonetheless. Walt Kowolski (Eastwood) is a recently widowed Korean Veteran and a real hard nose son of a bitch. The neighbourhood he has lived in for years is swamped by a melting pot of nationalities, much to his irritation and the relationship he has with his two sons and their families is almost non existent as his high moral standards and ideals means they never quite match up to his expectations.
During a dust up at his neighbours a young Hmong teenager Thao ( Bee Vang) is 'roughed up' outside his property by a local street gang and Walt takes the law into his own hands and scares them off. Eternally grateful the Hmong community bombard Walt with gifts of food and flowers and an hilarious situation unfolds as the more he pushes them away the more they come back with gifts. However underneath it all there is suspicion on both sides, but slowly and surely through Thao's older sister Sue Lor (Ahney Her) Walt begins to warm to their community, a community that still gives respect to their elders and where family life (something Walt has always found difficult) is of paramount importance. In a crucial episode when Thoa is pressurized into trying to steal Walt's beloved 1972 Ford Gran Turino, despite his anger and outrage, the tide turns and Walt begins to appreciate how difficult it is for kids like Thao to avoid getting sucked into the street gangs.
A real friendship develops between Walt and the family as one by one the barriers come tumbling down, until one night Sue is subjected to a vicious attack, and Walt who is full of rage is forced to make a life changing decision in order to get retribution.There are some geuinely funny moments in this film , but it's also tinged with sadness, and I suppose the cynical among us might just see it as a Geriatric Dirty Harry, but somehow it works , from the verbal tussles Walt has with the young catholic priest Father Janovich (Christopher Carley) to the wise cracking tongue in cheek diatribes he has with his Barber (John Carroll Lynch) it's cinematic dynamite. The younger actors are blown off the screen by Eastwood's seasoned presence, but it really doesn't matter as the main message of this film is how we live side but side on this planet with our fellow human beings. This is not a film for the easily offended political correct brigade, as it pulls no punches with a script that is peppered with racial insults but they are there for a very good reason and speak volumes about our society, in fact I found the whole experience refreshing. It's a gem of a movie .....In a word ........ Dynamite!