Clint Eastwood has been a major force in the entertainment industry for over 53 years as both an actor and a director. As a result of his acting work in such classics as "Dirty Harry" (1971) and his successful forays into directing, exemplified by the more recent thriller "Mystic River" (2003), Eastwood's latest offerings have been constantly surrounded by Hollywood buzz. After a short hiatus, the prolific actor has returned to the screen once more to provide audiences with a stellar performance in "Gran Torino."
The movie follows recently widowed Walt Kowalski (played by Eastwood) who lives in a rapidly changing neighborhood. Many people of different ethnic backgrounds reside in the neighborhood's new low-income housing. Kowalski shows himself to be a stereotypical racist, old war veteran who doesn't take sass from anyone.
The film also concentrates on Kowalski's Hmong neighbors, Sue and Thao Lor (Ahney Her and Bee Vang, respectively). When Thao attempts to steal Walt's 1972 Gran Torino as part of a gang initiation, Kowalski wants to make the boy repay him for his near crime. As the relationship between the two grows, Kowalski begins to do all he can to protect his new Hmong friends.
The casual use of racial slurs and comments from Eastwood's character is both humorous (in context) and unsettling. But once the audience comes to terms with Kowalski's crotchety nature, his offensive language becomes less noticeable. This film's style is very similar to some of Eastwood's earlier works, particularly regarding the gritty attitude of the main character and his need to stand up for all that is right.
The film features dialogue in English and the native Hmong language. Eastwood wanted the Hmong scenes to be authentic, so he placed casting calls in many Hmong neighborhoods to find the right actors for the film. As a director, Eastwood constructs a story so that the audience feels a connection with all of the characters, making the film more of an emotional roller coaster than many contemporary dramas.
Eastwood's acting is superb and thankfully counterbalances the lackluster performance delivered by Vang. All of Thao's emotions are overplayed and overdramatic relative to the situation. Humor emerges, however, in Thao's deadpan reactions to Kowalski's attempts to teach the boy how to act like a full-grown, all-American man.
The real-life question stemming from this film involves the future of Eastwood's career. He has once again said that he will not be doing any more acting after the completion of this film and will concentrate on his directing and producing. Eastwood, however, made similar statements after the premiere of "Million Dollar Baby" in 2004, only to return to the screen yet again.
Like most of Eastwood's films, a wide range of audiences and critics alike will enjoy this piece of cinematic intelligence. People who enjoy dramas such as "Crash" (2004) and the classic "To Kill A Mockingbird" (1962) will surely find this film an interesting discussion of race relations and relationships.
Audiences should keep in mind that "Gran Torino" isn't meant to be offensive, but to make a point about racism and the changing nature of American society. The film is expected to win many awards and has already entered the Internet Movie Database's top 250 movies of all time.
