One Man's Unexpected Path To Redemption.

Rating: 10/10 (15 December 2008)

Clint Eastwood has certainly turned out to the best "double-threat" actor/director in Hollywood. As he has so often, here he once again portrays a very conflicted man. To complicate things as the story begins we see him at the funeral for his wife. The movie wastes no time in our realization that Walt Kowalski has been an volatile island his entire adult life who likely was reined in by the balance his better half just barely was able to provide. Without her it seems he just may veer into the abyss as everything around him seems to be in some state of decay.
Walt has stubbornly chosen to remain in a way past its prime area of Detroit now inhabited by more Asians than Americans. He has a problem with Asians quite naturally acquired in America's forgotten war, The Korean War. That horrendous war has scarred him and he just is not the kind of guy to reach out. It's his racism that ultimately leads him to finally extend himself to his neighbors as well as his priest. He realizes, you will sense, that even a man's man cannot find peace through violence. His solution is very unlike the other famous characters he has etched into our celluloid consciousness as he chooses a very different way to end the vicious circle of hate.
First, and foremost, this movie entertains. It does so with a sly undercurrent of humor mostly from the crusty Walt. The other characters are rich and well portrayed also. Key to the story is the developing father/son relationship Walt grudgingly initiates with his teenage next door neighbor Thao. I will not spoil that as its pure golden. Walt Kolwalski is a real curmudgeon that, while vile, is so funny you gotta love him. Though we never meet his wife we know she was the absolute love of his life. He's old too and perhaps is facing an eminent decline, possibly soon as we are led to believe. Against this backdrop he faces head-on his mortality and his wishes to have done things differently...Not the least of which are his regret of not being a good father to his sons and, even more importantly, not seeking God's forgiveness. When he decides the situation he and his Asian neighbors are caught in must end he seeks a resolution within which he constructs his own brand of redemption.
Once again Clint Eastwood has brought to life a variation of the character he plays so well. This movie is full of humanity - much like Million Dollar Baby. Thanks Clint for this great movie. If you see it you will be richer for it.