Go ahead, make his tea

Rating: 8/10 (28 January 2009)

Headed to Eastland last night with Dean and Cam to see "Gran Torino".
It's about, get this, 78 year old ex-Korean War veteran Walt (played by Clint Eastwood, who is the only person who could possibly have played this, but still had some ridiculous moments) who comes to the aid of his neighbours and takes on several gangs.
The film starts with a Hmong boy named Thao being initiated by his cousin's gang (against his will) by stealing Walt's prized "Gran Torino". Thao fails and is sent by his family to do chores for Walt. In the midst of this the gang returns to shake Thao up and Walt confronts them with a rifle. Walt continues his frenzy by taking on a few other hooligans. Soon Walt, initially extremely prejudiced against foreigners, warms to this lovely family next door and their family, especially with Thao and his sister Sue. Things begin to escalate though and Walt is forced to kick it up a notch. Will the old man defeat a gang of 5 extremely buff Asians? See it to find out.
A good movie with a kind of nice message. Lots of snicker-worthy jokes, generally based around his racist thoughts and old school ways. The scenes in the barber shop and the Hmong's home are especially good. Like I said, a tad of a stretch at times, but what movie doesn't have some slightly unlikely instances these days.
A must for blokes and certain women will like too. FYI, it's #82 on the IMDb Top 250, just ahead of The Prestige and The Elephant Man.