
Starring: Clint Eastwood, Geraldine Hughes, Bee Vang
Directed by: Clint Eastwood
I have just seen the movie “Gran Torino” this afternoon and here is my review.
Plot/Synopsis: Clint Eastwood plays an old man named Walt Kowalski, who is a Korean War veteran whose wife just died. Walt is left alone except the only friend he has for now is his white dog. He is a grumpy old man who doesn’t like other people that is not white, knowing from his own experiences of the Korean War of his past.
Kowalski lives next door with a Korean family, he didn’t like them at first but a young boy who lives with that family Thao, who has a cousin that is in a gang is being bullied by his cousin’s gang. The gang tries to force Thao into stealing Kowalski’s classic car which is a Gran Torino which Kowalski never drives.
This is what made Kowalski tried to save Thao and his family ’cause they were being bullied and harassed. Later in the film, Walt Kowalski becomes friends with Thao and his family members which are all Korean people. Thao and his family are being hurt by these gang members in the town while Kowalski draws himself into saving their lives. Kowalski becomes a town hero for it because he is capable of fighting off gangs in the town when they are the most dangerous and violent people.
My thoughts on the movie? I thought it was real good. Nothing amazing or excellent, but it was a pretty intense film, mixed with comedy and suspense. It was an unpredictable story that kept you at the edge of your seat the entire time.
After 4 years of not being on screen as an actor, Clint Eastwood still has the acting skills. He was very good in this and he played the old man perfectly. I can completely understand why everyone would think this is a Dirty Harry movie when it isn’t, ’cause the movie is very Dirty Harry like. Very close, I would say!!!
“Gran Torino” was very enjoyable. It’s not one of his best movies, he’s made better movies in his past, but “Gran Torino” is definitely worth seeing in theater though. To be honest, I still find “Changeling” to be better than this.
It’s still great to see Clint back on the screen and not behind it again though. I hope he doesn’t give up the acting for good, I want him to give us one more Dirty Harry film!!! A film like this proves that he has the ability to bring Harry Calahan back. In “Gran Torino” the movie is very dark, pretty much a revenge story.
My top ten Clint Eastwood films whether he’s either acting/directing are here:
1. Mystic River
2. Changeling
3. True Crime
4. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
5. Escape from Alcatraz
6. Dirty Harry
7. Unforgiven
8. High Plains Drifter
9. Million Dollar Baby
10. Gran Torino
Score for “Gran Torino” = *** (3 stars as in good)
Kev