Clint's Gran Finale?
Written: Apr 12 '09 (Updated Apr 12 '09)
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Product Rating:
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| Bang For The Buck |
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Pros: Eastwood as actor and director; support from Vang, Her, Carley, Lynch
Cons: A bit short on characterization
The Bottom Line: Clint Eastwood brings one more memorable tough guy to life.
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| pmills1210's Full Review: Gran Torino |
In certain ways, Walt Kowalski is an anachronism. He's a widowed and retired Detroit area auto worker who always talks bluntly about people. Political correctness and Walt will never find common ground. He has lived to see his suburban neighborhood change in terms of complexion - literally. An influx of Asian immigrants has made Walt, a Korean War veteran, even more cynical and angry than his usual self. When an Asian gang wants to make Walt's neighborhood their turf, and his young neighbor a member of their gang, Walt takes a stand for the family and for the neighborhood in "Gran Torino."
At first, Walt (Clint Eastwood) wants nothing to do with his new neighbors, and they want nothing to do with him. One night, Thao Vang Lor (Bee Vang), pressured to do his cousin's gang a favor for helping him in a confrontation with a Hispanic gang, breaks into Walt's garage and tries to steal his prized possession, a 1972 Gran Torino that caught the eye of the gang. Thao, though, gets caught, but Walt doesn't involve the police. Thao's mother, though, punishes her son by making him do work for Walt. He makes the boy do chores not only for himself, but for other neighbors. The Hmongs that want Thao in their ranks remain relentless in their efforts to get him with them. When they crash a party at Thao's home and create a disturbance, Walt puts an end to said disturbance by drawing a rifle on one of the Hmongs.
For his efforts, Walt is rewarded by relatives and friends of the family. Thao's sister, Sue (Ahney Her), even lures Walt over to the house with the promise of beer. As he gets to know the Lors, Walt sees that Thao, whose father had died some years earlier, needs someone to provide a man's guidance. He gives Thao tools and teaching so that he can be handy with something other than gardening. He introduces the teen to other people he trusts, and even helps Thao land work in construction. The Hmongs, though, make it clear that Thao is going to be their man, no matter what they have to do to make that happen. When the Hmongs send a message that they will stop at nothing, Walt fashions a response.
It has been said that that Eastwood plans to make "Gran Torino" his last appearance in front of the camera. While he stays busy behind the camera, he made his first acting appearance in front of it in four years, when he was nominated for an Oscar for his performance in "Million Dollar Baby." It was for his work behind the camera, though, that won him his second directing Oscar there. If he is, indeed, ending his career here, Eastwood shows he can be both old and tough. Walt Kowalski will remind many viewers of some of Eastwood's most famous tough guys - The Man With No Name, Dirty Harry Callahan, and Will Munny. With only a dog to make his home less empty, Walt has no close connections with other people. He even finds the concerns and the behavior of his sons (Brian Haley, Brian Howe) and their families to be an annoyance. Walt may be well past retirement age, but Eastwood shows that this character has some toughness left in him - as well as regrets. Not only will Walt not cower to the Hmongs, but he won't let other gangs feel welcome. Yet, in Thao, Walt sees a teen he can help in ways he didn't help his sons. As he grows closer to the Lor family, he sees people who aren't unlike him and his late wife. I like the chemistry Eastwood has with both Vang and Her, as the siblings hope for a future that can be free of gang entanglements. They just want their own space of America where they can have a good life and raise a family who will embody their good qualities. The final section of the film might remind some people of John Wayne's final film role in "The Shootist," where an aging man prepares to take one more stand because circumstances dictate that he must. This film is also a family affair for Eastwood, as son Kyle helped to compose the music, and son Scott had a bit role as a friend of Sue's.
The movie, though, is a bit short on characterization. The only characters that have a great deal of development are Walt, Thao, and Sue. A couple of actors, though, make the most of their few moments on the screen. One is Christopher Carley, who plays Father Janovich, the priest from Walt's parish who wants Walt to reconnect with the church, and knows a thing or two about dealing with gangs. He comes to know Walt and trusts him to act appropriately. The other is John Carroll Lynch, who plays Walt's barber, Martin. Martin always jokes about Walt's tightwad nature, but Walt always has good-natured remarks about Martin's heritage. They are two men who don't think twice about making ethnic jokes about one another. The lack of characterization, though, helps Eastwood to focus on the main relationship of this movie. It was a relationship that never materialized with his own children. It was the opportunity for Walt to have a successful connection to people who weren't married to him.
I'm sure a lot of fans of Eastwood the actor will reconsider his decision about strictly working behind the camera. They (and I) may secretly dream of a day where he can find the right script and play Great Grandpa Dirty Harry. Eastwood, though, has always had a good sense about directing himself, and would not care to outstay his welcome on the big screen. At this writing, he continues to work behind the camera, but I sense that the days of the Eastwood tough guy screen persona are at an end. If this does end the acting career of Eastwood, he has finished with a role that recalls his most famous parts, and a reminder that he's no longer young or middle-aged. In "Gran Torino," he's a hardened retiree who finds a reason to fight and to care once again. Walt Kowalski is a veteran of war and of life. His life experience makes him wiser when he faces battle in his neighborhood. Walt Kowalski didn't volunteer for a fight against gangs, but he knows that there is more than one way to make a stand.
Recommended:
Yes
Movie Mood: Serious Movie
Viewing Method: Other
Film Completeness: Looked complete to me.
Worst Part of this Film: Nothing
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Member: Pat Mills
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