A Treasure on Wheels and Reels!

Rating: 9/10 (7 May 2010)

What is it to be truly happy? What's it like to be a part of a family, for real? This is the only Clint Eastwood (aside from MIDNIGHT IN THE GARDEN...which he directed) movie I have ever truly enjoyed. Without spoilers, I will say that towards the end of the film, Mr. Eastwood has to do something big and heroic and macho, in true "dirty Harry" fashion, but it didn't detract from how much I admired this 2008 effort about a grouchy old veteran of Polish descent, who projects hatred towards Asian people. His wife has recently died, his son and grandkids don't want anything real from him, especially not relationships, and the only thing he seems to lavish affection on is his classic 1972 Gran Torino. The only person he knows who seems to want to reach out to him is a young priest (Chris Carley) and of course he is rebuffed.
The old man's new neighbors are a family of Hmong, and after the teenage boy (Bee Vang) tries to get in good with a local Hmong gang by attempting to steal Mr. Kowalski's treasured car, the old man responds with his usual racist scorn. But slowly, after getting to know the boy and his sister (Ahney Her) and their large family, after becoming acquainted with their unique culture, Mr. Kowalski finds an unlikely family, and against his grumpy will, finds himself caring about them and risking his own hide to protect them from the viciousness of the gang their cousin belongs to.
Without being preachy, this film accomplished what CRASH tried to several years ago. Kowalski lets go of his prejudice against Asians, gets to know a family and a culture, and suddenly has real friends for the first time in a long time. It is a unique, touching and refreshing film about the sometimes preachy concept of "racial harmony".