Gran Torino

Rating: 8/10 (29 October 2011)

****This review contains spoilers**** The movie, Gran Torino, is a film directed by Clint Eastwood who also plays the main character Walt Kowalski. Walt Kowalski is a Korean War veteran who is retired from Ford. Walt has a strong American pride and has his own idea of what an American should be or act like. Walt's character is cranky and judgmental. Having just lost his wife, Walt must now deal with his family who only seem to be interested in his possessions. His most prized possession being his Gran Torino. Walt lives in a once Polish predominate neighborhood that now homes a large population of Hmong descendants. This does not please Walt as he makes racial slurs and derogatory comments about his neighbors. As the movie progresses Walt notices one of his Hmong neighbors being harassed by a group of men. Much to the viewer's surprise, cranky racist Walt protects his Hmong neighbor Sue (Ahney Her) from what was to become an assault. Over the next few days Walt develops a relationship with Sue and her family, including Sue's brother Thao (Bee Vang). After Thao tries to steal Walt's beloved Gran Torino in a botched gang initiation, Thao begins to do yard and house work for Walt. Walt begins to realize that Thao wants nothing to do with joining a gang and that this young man and his family are in danger. Over time Walt becomes a confidant for Sue and Thao and their family and he vows to protect them from gang violence and danger. Walt goes to great lengths to do this and in the end gives his own life to ensure that those responsible for the violence are exposed and properly dealt with by authorities.
The theme of Gran Torino is overcoming racism and understanding that being different from one another is not negative or bad. There were several techniques used in the movie that reflected the theme throughout. One technique was the use of symbolism. Walt's Gran Torino was used as a symbol to show Walt's pride as an American worker for Ford. Throughout the movie Walt comments crudely about foreign made cars and the foreign workers who make them. Ironically, in the end, Walt leaves his beloved Gran Torino to his Hmong neighbor Thao who once tried to steal it. Another technique used in the movie was the use of character dialog. The dialog used by Walt throughout the movie included many racial slurs and criticisms. This dialog reflected the racism that Walt held against those who were different from him.
I thought this movie was very similar to American History X. Both main characters were racist and judgmental towards others who were not like him. In the end, both main characters of the movies realized their feelings were wrong and both of their fates ended the same way. Each was murdered by those who they were racists against.