How do I cliché thee? Let me count the ways.

Rating: 6/10 (19 December 2009)

I'll say this: Clint Eastwood tries very hard in this movie. Unfortunately, he labours under a poorly developed script with tissue paper thin characters.
Right from the beginning of the movie - his wife's funeral, when Clint coughed I thought, oh no, surely not that old chestnut in a CE movie, oh please, he's going to die in a hail of bullets at the end of the movie so he won't have to die alone, sick with his lungs leaking.
And sure enough.....
It's not all bad, I didn't hate it like some reviewers here, but there are lots of buts.
I just don't get what some reviewers say about his family. Here was this unbearable old codger criticising everything, even his granddaughter's clothes, and they are expected to love him? Come on! I felt utter sympathy for the sons every time they made an awkward call to the miserable old b. Even on his birthday when they tried to be kind, he throws them out.
He is utterly unlikable and a misogynistic racist to boot, hurling epithets left right and centre and banning people from even walking on his lawn.
This plot started perhaps with A Christmas Carol, and continues on through countless films. The slow thawing of the stony old heart - but unfortunately never turned towards the people who deserve it. His sad and sorry sons.
Time out: I took a few minutes to speculate on what kind of woman would marry such an awful man. AND how she would tolerate his treating her children so poorly.
Suffice to say is that Walt spots redemption through the Mhong family next door to him and promptly embraces it, along with the 12 year old family priest and then goes out Dirty Harry style in one of those signalled (from the first frame, cough) blazes.
And oh that song from the dead man, written by him and son. How pathetic was that? Clint, you look awful good for your age and your career doesn't need this dreck. Get a good script next time. With emotional depth. Which was sadly lacking here.
6 out of 10. Watchable. Once only.