Gran Torino Movie Blurb by Shale December 25, 2008 Christmas Day - everything was closed except Walgreen's and the Cineplex. So, it was off to a movie at a very crowded matinee to see the first of three flicks in line for this weekend. First off, Clint Eastwood is an old man - 78. Second off, he has aged very well and I can only aspire to that over the next decade or so. I guess part of my personal fascination with this movie is that Clint Eastwood is just a little younger than my dad and he has been the paternal protector in one movie role or another most of my life. In this movie he portrays Walt Kowalski a bitter old man, a Korean War veteran, retired Detroit auto worker, whose wife has just died. We get to see this wrinkled skin old man looking displeased and growling from the first scene at his wife's funeral and we get further glimpses of it as he begrudges his changing neighborhood being taken over by Asian immigrants. Walt likes to sit on his porch drinking Pabst Blue Ribbon beer and quietly grumbling about the world. (My dad drank Old Milwaukee on his porch - about the only difference). Walt doesn't much care for his two sons, their families and especially his self-absorbed, disrespectful, texting grandkids. The prejudicial dislike of his Hmong neighbors becomes specific when the teenaged Thao (Bee Vang) tries to steal Walt's 1972 Gran Torino as a gang initiation. Walt stops the kid but the dishonored family insists that Thao work for Walt. This sentence is negotiated by Thao's more forthright sister, Sue (Ahney Her) who with her own straightforwardness forces Walt to lighten up. Walt shows Thao how to use tools Well, there's nothing in this movie that you don't see coming. Of course Walt and Thao bond, and there are some very touching moments as the gruffness becomes affection. Walt eventually accepts an invitation to visit the family gathering at a barbecue (Admonishing them to keep their hands off his old dog) and it is awkward and comic. OK, got to have some real conflict here. That would be the gang of thugs terrorizing the family led by Spider (Doua Moua) who is Sue and Thao's cousin. Thao refuses to join the gang, they try to abduct him and the whole family is having a fight on the lawn when it spills over to Walt's. He gets his Korean War era M1 rifle and breaks up the fight by telling the gook punks to get off his lawn with a conviction that they know will make his day if they don't. Get Off My Lawn The rest of the movie is Walt trying to protect his protégé Thao and Sue. When the gangbangers shoot up the house Walt starts thinking of how to stop them, for he knows that Thao hasn't got a chance while the gang exists. I really liked the movie, as predictable as it was in showing the inner strength and character of an old curmudgeon and how he was still capable of a soldier's courage and sacrifice. Clint Eastwood also directed and you might say carried this movie, which he says will be the last in which he acts. Maybe he will start a singing career. Yes, he sang over the end credits. (Warning: if you were offended by the term "gook" ya better not see this movie because Walt is not politically correct and uses all the pejorative terms of his generation, even while socializing with the "slants" in their home. His barber is a "wop" who calls Walt a "polock" and they don't go to blows over that because they are friends in this city of old differences. Walt even has a confrontation with some "spooks" a quaint, seldom used term, which shows they deferred to political correctness because the more realistic pejorative "******" would have gotten too much flak. My own dad never stopped using the term ******, even after knowing my wife was black. Ya sorta have to consider the source and overlook it sometimes.)
Good review as always Shale. I may have to go see this today for one reason...it's Clint Fuckin' Eastwood!
I saw this last week. I actually expected more from it because of all the hype. But Clint Eastwood is still very good. But all in all, I would give this movie a 7 out of 10.
i hear that most of the actors in the flick, outside of eastwood, aren't actual actors. they were just people they picked out of a somewhat random pool. i'm not sure why they did this, perhaps they thought it would bring a more authentic feel to some parts of the movie. i liked the movie a lot. i think that the message of the movie was brought about very strongly in the fact that eastwood got his revenge without even needing to take a weapon. anyway, movie was good IMO.. but yes, clint eastwood is gettin OLD.
Bee Vang was a 16-year-old high school kid who said he auditioned "on a lark." He was chosed over all the others because of his slight build and innocent looks. All the Hmong ppl were inexperienced and were encouraged to ad-lib in the social scenes, which did appear to be the real kind of chaos one sees at those gatherings.
i saw this movie and i didn't know what to think. just like rocky 6, i think this movie was a parody of itself.
I thought this movie was great!!! I absolutely loved it. The only negative side on my part was the amount of racism, but I know it was part of the movie and the movie would've been completely different without it. And anyways... if anyone can get away with racism I guess its Clint Eastwood. I wouldnt wanna mess with him. Even if he is however old he is, he could still kick some ass.
Good movie. The supporting cast had some holes, but some of the others would have made up for it even if Clint Eastwood hadn't pulled out the stops and proved what an acting juggernaut he can be.
I really wanna see this one. I watched 'Pale Rider' on tv the other day, it was so cool and got me in the mood for more Clint.
Clint Eastwood was so engaging, his performance really made the film a joy to watch. I hear he is to finish his career with this film, and I must admit, it's the perfect swan song.
This is now my new favorite Clint Eastwood movie and is the best movie I've seen in a really, really long time. Srsly. Clint is so badass.
Really? I thought it was amazing. Hmm... And the fact that he called them Gooks and Zipperheads right to their faces cracked me the hell up.
