I was shocked and awed on Saturday afternoon when I saw the film Gran Torino. In my most humble opinion, this film is Clint Eastwood’s masterpiece and the best film I’ve seen in ages!
Directed and acted by Mr. Eastwood, Clint plays Walt Kowalski, a gruff, tough-minded, racist old man who has just lost his wife. A proud but emotionally cut-off veteran of the Korean War, his prize possessions are his medals from the war and his 1972 Gran Torino in mint condition. He cannot stand his sons or his grand kids anymore than he can tolerate his “gook” neighbors with their exotic foods and customs.
Having apparently given up on life, Walt spends most of his time sitting on his front porch smoking and guzzling beers, while observing the gradual decay and decline of his once middle class neighborhood.
Through a strange combination of events he slowly becomes friends with the Hmong family next door, learns a bit about their culture and customs, and then begins to provide a funny type of mentoring for the teenage boy Tao. He is drawn into the life of this struggling family in spite of his racist background and comes to care about them very much.
Enough said except that I was amazed and pleased to see the way the writers dealt with so many important issues facing us in America today: ageism, racism, gang violence and our general cultural and generational intolerance towards each other.
At the beginning of the movie we feel that this old bitter man has nothing to offer the world but by the end, we love and admire him.
He made my day!!!
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I agree, brilliant film. I loved it. It says so much of what we need to hear.
Check out ‘The Secret Life of Bees.’ Another film I absolutely loved.
I LOVED the Secret Life of Bees too!!!
OK, so I wanted an action movie for the afternoon. Clint “you met the wrong guy” Eastwood shooting bad guys, why not? Finally I watched a moving drama about an old man and his life, taking place on one porch within a few days. And it was GREAT! .)