Gran Torino is a fine showcase for Clint Eastwood's supposed final performance

Rating: 9/10 (26 January 2009)

Clint Eastwood is Walt Kawalski, a Korean War vet who never completely got over the killings he had to do during that time so that probably contributed to the estrangement of his own adult kids' families. When he ends up having to deal with an Asian family from the Hmong area who live next door, however, because of the teenage son's attempt to steal his prized car whose title is this movie's name, Walt feels a bond that grows complicated when a gang (one of whose members is the family's cousin) tries to bully this son and his sister. As this brother and sister, Be Vang as Thao Vang Lor and Ahney Her as Sue Lor give pretty good performances considering their inexperience before the camera. The same goes for many of the other Hmong players. And Clint is fine making this somewhat racist character lovable because of his sense of honor and decency. In fact, the most humorously edgy scene concerns Eastwood, Vang, and a barber played by John Carroll Lynch as Walt tries to prepare Thao for suitable-if politically incorrect-male adult conversation. I also loved the conversation between Walt and Sue after he picked her up from a near-assault from a black gang. If this is indeed Mr. Eastwood's final acting performance, he certainly couldn't have picked a better role to leave on. And his direction is for the most part fine as well. So for me, that's definitely a recommendation for Gran Torino.