Not really very good

Rating: 5/10 (14 December 2008)

OK, either the definition of "good" (as in 8.1/10 at the time of writing) has changed or I just didn't get the movie. I really wanted to like it because as a stereotypical guy (as glorified tongue-in-cheek by the movie) I automatically am a big fan of anything Clint Eastwood. Here are my main gripes: Firstly, some material was quite out-of-place, e.g. the visual gag of the old woman out-spitting Eastwood. A movie that has a rape in it, that was just lame. I don't know, maybe that was a artistic way to show the subjective threat felt by Eastwood of the Asian neighbors or whatever. I just thought it wasn't really funny.
Another scene that was in essence awful was the scene where Eastwood's character teaches Thao how to talk manly. The first scene with Eastwood and the barber "conversing" was pretty funny because of the acting (reminds me of older movies in which there's so fast dialogue it's hard to keep up) and it didn't explain anything (even if it was out of place in a pretty dark movie) but the second time it was ruined by step-by-step explanation why they insult each other. It's an old joke guys and girls are different.
Another annoyance of mine was how easily Walt (Eastwood) turned non-racist after 70-some years of grade-A racism. It has to be the fastest conversion since two previous records held by American History X. The character was great otherwise, yet another one of Eastwood being honest and acting old but still bad-ass. Which brings me to another thing: I really expected the final scene be something like what Stallone did in the latest Rambo. Now it was probably realistic etc. but come on, ever heard of blue balls? That reminds me, how did Walt be so certain that his death would be any different than anything else the gang did and managed to intimidate people to be quiet about? I felt one of the themes was frustration and not being able to fix things as they are, but in the end the movie sort of gives in and lets things lay in other people's hands and so the viewer gets frustrated (maybe that was the point, though. In any case I would have preferred something Dirty Harry would have done).
Lastly, Jamie Cullum. OK, I got it the titular Gran Torino was symbolic of Walt's inner self being hidden in his garage etc. etc. but come on, I don't thing anyone needs Mr. Cullum's annoying voice to spell it out.
Overall, there was a lot of good in the movie but there also was a lot of bad, especially when looking closely. I don't know if I would look as closely if it wasn't Mr. Eastwood, probably not. I hate to say it (and probably look like a racist bigot when I say it, but I have no friends anyways so here goes) but maybe the theme of racism plugs a string which makes most people forget anything bad a movie would have. Movies that discuss racism are of course important but they should do more than play that old card.