Gran Torino Review

Rating: 7/10 (17 April 2012)

Gran Torino Would you sacrifice a little of your time to watch this movie?
I recently watched Gran Torino in my Film Appreciation class and I believe that I am entitled to express my thoughts about the movie. Most Americans of the 20th century are hard working, respectful to their elders, and are do-it-myself type of people. That is almost the exact description of the main character Walt Kowalski, played by Clint Eastwood. The movie brings us to many realizations about the new generation and how they seem to be going in the wrong direction. It is a great movie to help you realize that stereotypes are not always correct and to never judge a book by its cover. The movie relates the life of Walt Kowalski after the death of his wife, in a dwindling suburb that is been replacing Americas with large concentrations of Hmong people. Walt battles between the things he learned about Asians during his experience in Korea during the war and the people who are living all around him now. After his next-door neighbor Thao tries to steal his car, the family makes him work for Walt for the disgrace he made to their family. Walt seems to grow found of Thao and his sister Sue through out the movie. But he must be careful because a group of gang members who have their sites set on Thao and Sue are causing mayhem. Also there is a side conflict between Walt and the pastor, Father Janovich, who promised Walt's wife that he would try to sway him into confession after her death. Clint Eastwood once again performed to the best of his abilities and once again showed why he is so famous in the movie business. What ruined the movie's acting presentation were the majority of the Asian actors who seemed to be not only unrealistic but completely lost in how to act out their character. The most realistic actor was that of Thao and that was only because he barely even spoke a word in the first three quarters of the story and the last fourth he was so infuriated at the raping of his sister that it was easy to act it out. The exception to what I mentioned before is Thao's grandma, and that was due to the fact the she wasn't a main character and only spoke in her own language. The pastor was mediocre, he was neither exceptionally good in his acting but he wasn't bad either. I believe this was due to the fact that he his role in the movie was simple and therefore had no real chance to manifest his character in a better way. The movie was extremely interesting because of the story line the director took when filming. It is at the beginning of the story the classic one-vs-the world scenario until he begins to accept new friends such as his neighbors Thao and Sue. The ending kept you in a sort of shock, because the whole movie gives you one image of the old man who is tough as nails, and showed how he was ever tougher than nails, but in a way completely different to what was suspected. Another interesting aspect was how Mr. Eastwood was able to mix so many genres and create a completely new one in this case. I think that the movie had aspects of two genres: action and suspense. Also I believe that the movie criticizes not only stereotypes but also show us the reality in the poor urban neighborhoods. It also presented problems like racism, crime in poor neighborhoods, and the harsh life of immigrants to the United States. There are two main themes for the story. One is to never judge a book by its cover. Walt seems to be an old man but turns to be extremely independent and hard working. The other is that just because people come form another religion and customs does not mean that they are any different or have any less right to be good people. Walt learns this once he really gets to meet the Hmong people, especially when he meets Sue and Thao. These characters changed his vision about the Hmong. Well that and their food! I think others will learn to be more tolerant in society and will be able to accept more ethnicities. I think grownups are more inclined to this movie because it shows problems they face more than young teenagers and kids in general. Also the language is a bit aggressive for kids to listen to and the scene where Sue walks in raped would be especially traumatizing for these people. The movie is rated R but I believe it should be rated PG-15 (older than fifteen), which exists in some countries. I think it is a good movie because event though there were some errors were made during the casting, the job by Clint Eastwood as a director and actor in this movie is spectacular.
Scale 1-10 stars: 7/10 stars
Alejandro Finol is a 15 year old junior. He is currently attending a Film Appreciation course and made this critic as a project. He plays in the school's varsity basketball team and loves to play video games.