Gran Torino
Rated: R
Runtime: 1 hour, 56 minutes
Directed by: Clint Eastwood
Starring:
Clint Eastwood - Walt Kowalski
Bee Vang - Thao Vang Lor
Ahney Her - Sue Lor
Christopher Carley - Father Janovich
Gran Torino is a memorable film in that I will always remember it as featuring the most over-the-top racist character in recent memory. The fact that the racial epithets are issuing forth from Clint Eastwood, a man who does "grizzled" like sunshine does warmth, makes it all the sweeter. I may have laughed more often at Gran Torino than any other movie this year.
This isn't to say Gran Torino is a bad movie; it's just a painfully simple one. Following the death of his wife, Walt Kowalski (Eastwood) inadvertently becomes a hero to his Hmong neighbors after beating a violent Hmong gang off his lawn and thus happening to save his neighbors. The film has to repeat this situation again when Walt saves his neighbor Sue (Ahney Her) from a different bunch of thugs. You see, Walt, even though every other word out of his mouth may be a racial slur, isn't a racist. He's just a hyper-masculine leftover from the 50s. He's grandpa if grandpa spouted his racism directly to that race and could kick everyone's ass.
With racism as just colorful language and nothing more than an adorable personality quirk, the film is left as a sweet but simple after-school special with Walt, nearing the end of his life, warming to his Hmong neighbors, especially the son, Thao, who he basically teaches to be a man. It's a strange relationship since we see Walt's adult sons and they're just worthless yuppies and their spoiled kids are even worse. There's the sense that Walt was balanced by his wife but clearly that balance resulted in selfish, thoughtless progeny. So why does Walt warm to Thao? Is it because Thao shows a deference that's innate to his culture? Is it because Walt feels like this is his last chance to impart his values to someone who may actually listen? It's a little ambiguous and in a film that's so straight, a little ambiguity is water in the desert.
On a side note, I know that I mentioned in my review of Eastwood's other film this year, Changeling, that he should really quit with the minimalist music pieces because they're not doing him any favors. If he's traded that out for singing, then I pray he goes back to the tiny piano music. Eastwood sings the song "Gran Torino" over the end credits and well, let's just say a man whose voice sounds like it's made of gravel probably shouldn't sing to an audience. Ever.
Back to the plot, I've noticed some other critics have taken issue with the film's third act as they found it unexpected and a little batshit insane. Personally, I didn't it find it that unusual because it seemed like the story's natural progression. I don't want to spoil anything but I will say that violence hovers on the periphery. Gran Torino was originally rumored to be the sixth Dirty Harry film and even without a character named Harry Callahan wielding a .44 magnum revolver, it's still pretty close. In a weird way, I wish it was the sixth Dirty Harry film because it would be interesting to see what Harry would do at the end of his life and realizing that his violent tactics only lead to escalation and blowback. That message may resonate somewhat to anyone that's ever read anything about our misadventures in the Middle East.
But as I said before, because it's so simple, the only thing that stands out about Gran Torino is Eastwood. He's pretty much playing himself (or at least the Eastwood persona we've come to know and impersonate over the years) and the only thing that stands out is the rage of a crazy old racist. It makes for an entertaining film if not one that earns the Oscar pedigree Clint's films are used to attaining.
Words by
Matt Goldberg
12.20.08