Clint Eastwood at his best

Rating: 7/10 (19 December 2009)

I admire Clint Eastwood on many levels that are all on show in his latest work 'Gran Torino.' I admire firstly his acting which isn't a lot of growling but is the exterior of a bitter, old man who is a Korea war veteran and recent widower. There is much pain and guilt that isn't put out on display in the likes of actors desperate to win awards but subtly that is both humane, beautiful and believable. As a director I admire him most for his simplistic brilliance at storytelling. He occasionally experiments like with one averagely filmed montage in the middle of the film but i'm sure he can improve it. He doesn't call for mystery, the one time he did was the average but overrated 'Mystic River,' and as you watch his films you are immersed in the heartfelt stories he brings to audiences. With every film he directs an audience can feel his heart in the story. I also admire him as a film composer and song-writer along with his musically gifted son Kyle Eastwood. The song at the end, apart from the fact that he sung a little bit (sorry Clint your not that talented), is truly heartfelt and placed perfectly. If I had any problem it would be with the young Asian lead. I admire Clint Eastwood as a director for casting people who had never acted before in these roles but when he acted alongside in some scenes, he pales in comparison and sadly takes something away from some of the scenes. I also thought the ending was 'good.' I admire Eastwood for what he was trying to achieve with that ending and he succeeds on all levels but I think the films ending lacked the complete emotional knock-out that Million Dollar Baby did and while this films ending hits you in the chest somewhere near our dusty hearts that film hits you square in the gut.