Gran Torino

Rating: Null/10 (31 July 2011)

WARNING!!! INCLUDES POTENTIAL SPOILER!
Walt Kowalski (Clint Eastwood), a Korean War veteran, lives in a Michigan suburb, in a neighborhood that seems relatively calm. When his wife dies, he becomes increasingly an isolationist. He remains to be haunted by memories of his time in service in the Korean War. He is not so fond of people or socializing with anybody, to include his own family. The only exception is his dog; Daisy. Walt continues on disconnecting from ordinary social life, and sticks to drinking beers on his front porch. Walt grows increasingly uncomfortable with his next door neighbors, an Asian-American family with a vulnerable and a seemingly troublesome teenager; Thao (Bee Vang). Walt, now obsessed with solitude, wants nothing to do with them, and more importantly, to stay away from his front yard and all his property. Events take on various turns when Thao attempts to steal Walt's most precious property; his '72 Gran Torino.
Walt's solitude results in developing a sense of prejudice and bigotry towards everybody, towards minorities, his local church's priest; Father Janovich (Christopher Carley), and his own family that he simply no longer stands. Walt's general attitude and behavior slowly changes, after engaging with a charming young girl that lives with her family next door to Walt; Sue (Ahney Her). Sue'; Thao's sister, takes an interest in socializing with Walt. Walt slowly learns and experiences the generosity and the commonality of his next door neighbors, of whom he despised so much earlier on. This results in a drastic and a radical change of attitude and behavior with Walt. Sue perceivably helps triggering Walt's humanity and goodness. He slowly adapts an entire different personality, to the point where he takes on a great interest in this family's affairs, of which becomes crucial when the family needed his assistance. He first takes on an interest in taking Thao under his wing. He teaches him discipline, and teaches him few things about mechanics and fixing things. Thao's central problem is the group of friends that he hangs out with. This issue only becomes more problematic, starting with Thao's attempt to steal Walt's Gran Torino, to the horrific sexual assault of Sue that angers Thao so much, that he wants to get revenge. Walt's central purpose in life becomes to avenge Sue, Taho, and their family of this group.
In addition to the storyline that makes the viewer anxious about the events as they progress, many techniques are applied to further convey and persuade the audience to the movie. Angle shots are taken in a manner where certain scenes truly become memorable and make the movie more resonant, all of which this movie a must see. This movie challenges social norms that many people experience, but rarely ever confronted or addressed. Gran Torino confronts matters that pertain to prejudice, racism, bigotry, but most of all, it addresses human solidarity and common humanity that indeed exists in everybody. A two-thumbs-up film.