Gran Torino Movie Review

If you're looking to get out of the cold this weekend, and thinking of going to the movies, I suggest that you check out Gran Torino, Clint Eastwood's new movie. Clint plays the part of Walt Kowalski, a bigoted Korean vet who just became a widower. His neighborhood is crumbling around him and is being overtaken by Hmong immigrants. His sons are rich jerks who are almost estranged from his dad. Walt just looks at the world with utter contempt. For the first few minutes of the movie, all he does is growl. He growls at his granddaughter with a belly ring, the pre-pubescent priest who delivers his wife's eulogy, and his daughter in law's gift of a phone with big buttons. And the beauty of his performance is such that I wanted to growl with him.

Walt begins to develop a relationship with the Hmong brother and sister who live next to him and he reluctantly takes the boy under his wing to protect him from a local gang. They learn to get past Walt's racist epithets and come to understand each other. Eastwood plays his part masterfully. He uttered speeches that were as powerful as Jack Nicholson's speech from A Few Good Men. There are no bare chested shots, no young love interests. He is just a credibly tough old man with a mean facade but a good heart.

Gran Torino was a great movie, destined to become a classic. Both my husband and I loved it. Word is that it may be Eastwood's last. He is 78 after all. What a wonderful way to end such a long and prolific career.