Late, Great Eastwood.

Rating: 9/10 (20 December 2009)

Nobody can do it like him. Gran Torino is up there with Clint's very best movies - Dirty Harry, The Good The Bad And The Ugly, Unforgiven, etc. I sat through this movie with a silly grin on my face, laughing at the "Clintisms", growing more and more involved with the story, and being touched at the unexpected ending. If this is to be Clint's acting swan song it's certainly a fine way to go out.
Clint plays Walt Kowalski, a Korean War Veteran who's just buried his wife, is disliked by his own spoiled family, and with seemingly nothing to look forward to except a lonely dragged out last few years of existence. All that changes, however, when he discovers his young neighbour trying to steal his car, a pristine 1972 Gran Torino, in a gang initiation ceremony. After Kowalski scares him off, the gang turn up to goad their would-be-initiate a little further, only to discover it's not very wise to break Clint's garden gnomes...
Gran Torino works beautifully, as Kowalski first despises and then bonds with his Hmong neighbours, discovering much about their life and culture to admire. It's also very funny, with Clint's usual one-liners and pithy statements to the fore, and never stretches believability too far. Clint growls like an old bear, and delivers one of his very best acting turns. The support acting may be a little substandard, but let's face it, you're gonna watch this for Clint! He makes his character say many things without dialogue, using expression, posture,etc alone, to get his message across. I've always liked his style. Even Hitchcock had retired by the time he reached Clint's age; long may he carry on when keeps on delivering movies as good as this.