Gran Torino (B- or 2.5/4 stars)
Disgruntled, and a hater of Asians, Korean War veteran Walt Kowalski (Clint Eastwood) sets out to reform his neighbor, a young Hmong teen named Thao (Bee Vang), who tried to steal his 1972 Gran Torino in … 'Gran Torino', directed by & starring Clint. 'GT' is this year's Bucket List. Fun; well-acted by the seasoned-vet(s); crowd pleasing. It's also too sentimental & questionably written. The strength of the 1st half of the film doesn't efficiently hold you over into the serious 2nd half of the film. But a great performance from 'ole Clint warrants this film a viewing.
Walt is a miserable old fogey. Retired, old, sick, war-weary, & having just put his cherished wife into the ground, he fills his days with routine home repairs, chugging beer, & monthly trips to the barber. He can't stand his kids, children-in-laws, or grandkids. And the neighborhood he lives in is changing; becoming diverse with Asians, Spanish, Blacks & gangs. One night, as part of a gang initiation ritual, shy next door teenager Thao is asked to steal Walt Kowalski's Gran Torino. Thao fails to steal it when Walt shows up in his garage with a shotgun. The next day, said gang members arrive to give Thao a 2nd chance, but a fight breaks out. Walt shows up with his gun again & drives the pesky gang-bangers off his lawn.
By standing in the way of the gang, this results in Walt becoming a reluctant neighborhood hero (the Asians bestow a plentitude of unwanted gifts on his doorstep). Most thankful of all are Thao's mom & sister, Sue (Ahner Her). One day, Walt intervenes again when Sue is being accosted by some black guys on a street corner. Slowly but surely, the ice in Walt's veins begins to melt. Sue's mom insists that young Thao work for Walt as a way to make amends (for attempting to steal the Gran Torino & for helping thwart the gang members). Though he initially wants nothing to do with Walt, Sue, or their family, Walt eventually gives-in & takes the boy under his grandfatherly wing; setting up an unlikely friendship that will change both of their lives. But tragedy looms in the air (for someone).
The movie starts with a bang. Right away we know who Walt Kowalski is: a bastard; stuck in his old-fashioned ways, sneering & growling at the clothes his grandchildren are wearing to his wife's funeral. He hates anyone who isn't Caucasian, & detests religion; insulting the young priest who is trying to get him to go to confession. He thinks his son is lazy. He curses constantly. Everything Clint says & does throughout (most) of the movie is fantastic & highly entertaining. So it's also great when things slow down a bit & we watch the important life lessons that he teaches Thao, & vice-versa. Walt overcomes his prejudices. And Thao learns how to stand-up for himself. This unexpected human connection is great to see (if a bit heavy-handed). The screenplay IS questionable, at times.
Clint is absolutely great (almost self-parodying). He's a hoot. And his transformation from Scrooge to Saint is well-handled. If you see 'Gran Torino', you're seeing it for him. The 2 young Asian actors who play Thao & Sue are fairly good & fairly cute ... but almost in a 'ohh, look how cute that puppy is' cute. Nearly everyone else in the movie is a caricature, or flat-out bad actors. WHAT is with Clint this year & his poor supporting actors? I found the exact same aspect of his other film, Changeling, to be true. The conclusion of the film is fine, if self-serious. I just feel like it loses a lot of steam towards the end; the story runs out. And nearly every technical aspect of the movie is stellar, if unremarkable. Still, there are more than enough positive things in 'Gran Torino'; a story about a nasty old-timer driven to put things right in his ever-changing neighborhood ... while he still has time left on Earth.
Walt is a miserable old fogey. Retired, old, sick, war-weary, & having just put his cherished wife into the ground, he fills his days with routine home repairs, chugging beer, & monthly trips to the barber. He can't stand his kids, children-in-laws, or grandkids. And the neighborhood he lives in is changing; becoming diverse with Asians, Spanish, Blacks & gangs. One night, as part of a gang initiation ritual, shy next door teenager Thao is asked to steal Walt Kowalski's Gran Torino. Thao fails to steal it when Walt shows up in his garage with a shotgun. The next day, said gang members arrive to give Thao a 2nd chance, but a fight breaks out. Walt shows up with his gun again & drives the pesky gang-bangers off his lawn.
By standing in the way of the gang, this results in Walt becoming a reluctant neighborhood hero (the Asians bestow a plentitude of unwanted gifts on his doorstep). Most thankful of all are Thao's mom & sister, Sue (Ahner Her). One day, Walt intervenes again when Sue is being accosted by some black guys on a street corner. Slowly but surely, the ice in Walt's veins begins to melt. Sue's mom insists that young Thao work for Walt as a way to make amends (for attempting to steal the Gran Torino & for helping thwart the gang members). Though he initially wants nothing to do with Walt, Sue, or their family, Walt eventually gives-in & takes the boy under his grandfatherly wing; setting up an unlikely friendship that will change both of their lives. But tragedy looms in the air (for someone).
The movie starts with a bang. Right away we know who Walt Kowalski is: a bastard; stuck in his old-fashioned ways, sneering & growling at the clothes his grandchildren are wearing to his wife's funeral. He hates anyone who isn't Caucasian, & detests religion; insulting the young priest who is trying to get him to go to confession. He thinks his son is lazy. He curses constantly. Everything Clint says & does throughout (most) of the movie is fantastic & highly entertaining. So it's also great when things slow down a bit & we watch the important life lessons that he teaches Thao, & vice-versa. Walt overcomes his prejudices. And Thao learns how to stand-up for himself. This unexpected human connection is great to see (if a bit heavy-handed). The screenplay IS questionable, at times.
Clint is absolutely great (almost self-parodying). He's a hoot. And his transformation from Scrooge to Saint is well-handled. If you see 'Gran Torino', you're seeing it for him. The 2 young Asian actors who play Thao & Sue are fairly good & fairly cute ... but almost in a 'ohh, look how cute that puppy is' cute. Nearly everyone else in the movie is a caricature, or flat-out bad actors. WHAT is with Clint this year & his poor supporting actors? I found the exact same aspect of his other film, Changeling, to be true. The conclusion of the film is fine, if self-serious. I just feel like it loses a lot of steam towards the end; the story runs out. And nearly every technical aspect of the movie is stellar, if unremarkable. Still, there are more than enough positive things in 'Gran Torino'; a story about a nasty old-timer driven to put things right in his ever-changing neighborhood ... while he still has time left on Earth.