get the hell off my lawn!

Rating: 7/10 (7 April 2009)

Gran Torino, a movie based on the reactions of Clint Eastwood when he switched on the TV to find "Paris Hilton's new BFF" on MTV. The movie centers around a American war veteran (from the Korean war, not the Vietnamese one) who faces the issues of immigrant societies in the USA. If the words "latino or Asian gangs" haven't popped out of your head then you're in for quite a ride.
Eastwood plays a truly stubborn old man who hates EVERYBODY. Eastwood is not afraid to express this in the first half of the movie as he constantly growls at everyone. His voice is not sweet and he mostly uses it to throw up some of the most hilarious and typical one liners.
"Get the hell of my lawn!" he violently says to his neighbour with an eye so evil it would make lions cry. You can't help but laugh at this and of course, you already know that he'll soften up as the movie continues. So as the minutes go by, he begins to care for his neighbours and he becomes the hero of the neighbourhood (long story, go read a real boring review to find out what he actually did) and he realizes that he has something to care about. The rest, is not to be spoiled (because if I told you it would be cheating wouldn't it?)
So I've told you practically everything and yet nothing about the plot (mission accomplished!) and now it's time to face the real highs and lows of the film: Clint Eastwood is great! his character is very well developed (didn't see that coming did you?) and his acting is top notch. The problem: the rest of the characters are PATHETIC. The dialog between them seems to have been written by Flavour *bling* *bling* Flav and the actors are awful. This brings up the question: Was Eastwood a good actor or was he simply better than these....other actors? Only time will tell my fellow readers (getting very intellectual now).
The truth is that Gran Torino is a film that feels that it was created simply so that Eastwood could get a shot at another Oscar (Clint, you've got like 4 of those already. When will you give it a rest?) Eastwood helped himself to all the best aspects of the movie and left nothing else for the rest of the cast. It's not a bad film, it's enjoyable and you'll love Clint every second of the film. You'll just wish that everything else was better.
In conclusion, I give Gran Torino seven very shiny stars out of ten. If it would have been called Clint Eastwood vs. MTV I would have given it eight stars...but that's life.