Gran Torino

"Gran Torino" is an interesting movie directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Eastwood as Walt Kowalski, as tough Korean War veteran who spits out racist slurs without any concern for others. Walt is that tough grandparent type who likes to think he still lives in the 50's and also likes to get everything done himself. He is alienated until he first helps out his Hmong (some kind of Asian culture) neighbors and befriends Sue Lor (played by Ahney Her) and her brother Thao Vang Lor (played by Bee Vang). The film is more about the quest of redemption and reawakening for Walt through his friendship of of Thao and becoming a fatherlike figure to him.

I see this as a kind of "Karate Kid" type of story line, with a youth in trouble and a mentor helping him out, except there is no karate and the focus is more on the mentor than the youth. Overall it is a great film with passable acting (most of the Hmong characters were not professional actors, so it is okay). What the film has trouble with is being serious. There are key humorous scenes, especially ones with Eastwood and his barber (played by John Carroll Lynch), but when there are serious scenes, they still turn out to be quite funny.

Watch the funny scene here!
WARNING! THIS CLIP HAS EXPLICIT LANGUAGE!
Barber scene.


I believe it has to do with Eastwood's growl and scowl tactics.

Clint Eastwood in The Growler - watch more funny videos

Besides the "serious" humor and the acting, the film is definitely one to watch and holds many implications. A redemption tale of a man trying to right the wrongs of his past is always a good story and this film takes that fable and does it exactly right, with a ending that fits.
So watch "Gran Torino" and you will feel yourself be moved.

8.3/10