Plot Review

Rating: 9/10 (29 April 2012)

Gran Torino takes place in the tough streets of modern day Detroit, Michigan. It chronicles the unlikely bond between two neighbors; a fatherless troubled Hmong teen named Thao (Bee Vang), and a racist old Korean War Vet named Walt Kowalski (Clint Eastwood) (Eastwood, 2008). The underlying theme of the film is personal struggle and overcoming cultural barriers in order to form lasting friendships.
The film starts out with Walt basically hating Thao and all individuals of Asian descent due largely to his Korean War days, and partly because he is a crabby old man. Thao then commits a crime against Walt and tries to make things right. In doing so they begin to get close and Walt sees more than just a Hmong thief, but a young man with promise and need of direction. Walt provides that direction and gives the fatherless Thao a male role model that he hasn't had. In one scene we see Walt trying to show Thao how to talk to other men in a barber shop scene. The result is a comical misunderstanding by Thao that furthers the bond.
Walt also teaches the young man about women, work, and his beloved Gran Torino (a classic car that Walt helped build as an auto worker). He teaches Thao about taking pride in his surroundings. Walt teaches Thao a lot, but what is really striking is what the boy teaches the old man. Thao teaches Walt about forgiveness, acceptance, and in the end they both teach us something about redemption.
The tension in the film is provided by the neighborhood Hmong gang that is trying to recruit Thao. Walt provides protection to Thao's family that ends up causing them great harm. Thao wants to spill the blood of the gang members and Walt also sees no other answer as well, but he doesn't want his young friend to get hurt or end up in prison. What will Walt do to save his friend and their family? Film enthusiasts will appreciate the use of lighting and music in this film. One scene using lighting to affect our mood is when Walt is contemplating what to do about the gang. The local Priest comes to talk to Walt and finds him sitting alone in a pitch dark room. Walt talks in simple growls and we get the sinking feeling of Walt's anger. The scene where music is used to raise our level of angst is when Walt initially confronts the gang. A fight is taking place at the neighbor's house and spills into Walt's lawn, big mistake. The music raises our tension level and we see Walt holding a gun to the face of a gang member growling at him to get off his lawn.
American History X is a movie that addresses racism to a more severe extent than Gran Torino; like Gran Torino American History X shows what can happen when racism is set aside and our eyes are opened to new relationships (Kaye, 1998).
A gripping movie full of suspense and a handful of laughs, Gran Torino is a great movie about overcoming boundaries and what can happen when we let our guard down a little, even for a crabby old man.