An Urban Masterpiece

Rating: 9/10 (10 January 2009)

The big screen has only been graced by Clint Eastwood's presence three times since the turn of the century, yet not a single one of these performances was after 2004. Obviously, being teased for years with his directed films and only a handful of film with his acting talents found within, getting a film with not only his acting, but directing and producing as well is simply a dream come true. Gran Torino is essentially a mash of American History X and Lakeview Terrace, and it accomplishes nearly everything it sets out to do.
Clint Eastwood plays Walt Kowalski, a Korean war veteran, a widow due to the recent passing of his wife, and a man that has been knocked down by the world one too many times. His two sons don't really give a crap about him, his grandchildren are a bunch of greedy little jerks, and the classic American neighborhood he once bhttp://nsider2.com/forums/start-new-topic-f11.htmlought a house in has been infested with feuding Korean gangs. Considering Walt has become a racist and prejudicial individual after all his time and experience on earth, his interactions with the people in his community are sometimes humorous, sometimes disturbing, but always interesting and powerful. The writing in the film is phenomenal, the character development is top-notch, and the story is engaging and significant.
It is most certainly necessary for viewers to know what they are getting into before going to see the film, though. Gran Torino is a brutal and rough film that holds no bars with its very harsh themes and general messages. Like I stated earlier, the tone of the film is very similar to American History X, in that it does not soften anything to appeal to any specific crowds, and if some viewers are offended, well, they just have to deal. This method of film-making is rarely seen anymore due to how Hollywood is obsessed with toning everything down so it appeals to the largest audience possible, so it's refreshing to see the movie Clint Eastwood wanted made, done right. It's raw, it's gritty, but the film could not have existed any other way, which is a concept that will be become blatantly apparent by the end of the film.
The beautiful thing about the film is watching all of the smaller aspects work together in harmony. The score is made up of great instrumental tracks that heighten the suspense and set the mood for each scene, and dead silence is also works in a brilliant way. The acting, besides Clint Eastwood's outstanding performance is quite good, and all the supporting actors are fine in their roles. The film flows perfectly, the impact is major, and overall, it all just works.
After months of awful remakes like The Day the Earth Stood Still and failed potential like in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, watching a brilliant film with one of cinema's all-time finest is more than I could ever as for. While often raw and disturbing, Gran Torino is a film that needed to be made, as it does not sugarcoat the raw themes of racism and prejudice that are still raging strong in America, despite what some may say. Everything works incredible well in the film, and perhaps my only gripe is that there are some problems at the end that I won't discuss since spoiling a masterpiece would be a sin. In the end though, Gran Torino is one of the best films of the 21st century, and for an aging Clint Eastwood, this may be the last chance to see one of the greatest all-around filmmakers to ever live.