Growls Abound

Rating: 8/10 (15 September 2019)

I really enjoyed this film. To me, the message was this: How we each deal with our humanity is different, but born of the same shortcomings (i.e. fear, ignorance, etc). Less realistic aspects of the movie and any technical critiques fade away when a story is as rich in sentiment. There is some clumsy scripting and chemistry amongst characters... but it could also be interpreted as an intentional awkwardness to highlight the cultural divide between Kowalski and his Hmong neighbors. It was refreshing to see an intimate portrayal of someone that our politically correct and morally righteous modern day world would otherwise not tell the tale of let alone allow to be the hero. The non-recognizable actors added an authenticity to the struggling, lower middle class families they were meant to represent. Clint Eastwood's character, although not at all like myself on the exterior, was very relatable. To me he was a person standing outside of the absurdity of it all and struggling to find sense and happiness. Some of the more powerful moments could have had longer screen time, such as the return of Sue. All in all it was an original and worthwhile film that I would recommend to others.