Calling this 'Typical Eastwood' would be a compliment

Rating: 9/10 (22 January 2009)

Grizzled Korean WAr vet Walt Kowalski(Clint Eastwood,still vital and virile at 78!)was always a hardened,angry and racist man. Losing his devoutly Catholic wife of many years and watching much of anything and anyone he's known change,move away or die has made him even harder. There are really only three things that this old guy treasures:his routines,his property and his vintage 1972 Gran Torino. So when the Hmong boy next door(Bee Vang,limited,but that might be due to lack of experience and shyness)tries to lift Walt's prized car as part of a gang initiation,it sets into motion a series of events that defies much of what the old guy believes and forces a re-evaluation of his life.
Starring in and directing this film,Eastwood uses a lot--and I mean A LOT--of his standard manqué(post-Dirty Harry,of course):plain,simple characters in deep,moral and existential struggles,coupled with a less-than-rosy view of violence. Throw in a plot twist here or there,spare music score during the film,framed at the ends with mellow(not smooth,there's a difference)jazz. Much or even all of these elements have been components of his films of late. And as such,they are perfectly good things in my humble opinion. They are par for the course here,and while the acting in this movie is truly not that remarkable--though Ahney Her as the Hmong boy's older sister is at least likable--the story and Clint's forceful presence makes this movie funny,human and intriguing. Actually,in a word or attempt at fairness to the rest of the cast:I suspect that Clint and the producers probably were AIMING for the large majority of the cast of this film to be as UN-actor-like as possible,to give this a much more plain,simple and realistic(though I've read enough posters who would disagree heartily with that last part)feel.
At this writing,the Academy Awards were just announced,and I'm genuinely surprised that this movie has not garnered a single nomination. Not writing.Not directing.Not acting(mostly for Clint).Not editing. Not sound. Nothing. While this may not be the best Mr.Eastwood has developed in his long and storied career(though it's light years away from being the weakest),this sure SEEMED like it would garner some considerations(I didn't see the Golden Globes,but I don't recall it getting any mention there either). I guess "seemed" would be the the operative word here.