Has it's issues but a great character study overall

Rating: 7/10 (19 June 2012)

At one point in our lives we've all known an old curmudgeon like the one Clint Eastwood plays in Gran Torino. We're all familiar with how they act, the things they say, and the way they don't make an effort to hide their true feelings at any given moment. But not all of us have known an elderly person in the kind of situation we see in Gran Torino. Eastwood plays Walt Kowalski, a grumbling, bigoted, and disgruntled Korean War veteran living in inner city Detroit in a run down neighborhood. Walt lives alone and tries his best to keep to himself, but his seclusion runs out when he finds himself the metaphorical caretaker of Thao and Sue, two Hmong siblings living next door to Walt with their family. He sets out to change Thao into a real man, while also keeping he and his sister safe from the rampant gang violence prevalent in the neighborhood. The story is oddly touching with, while also possessing a streak of pleasant humor throughout.
The character of Walt Kowalski is undoubtedly one of the most interesting characters Eastwood has ever played. He's an engaging character that grows and develops throughout the movie, an interesting phenomenon for such an old man. It goes to show that no matter how old you are you can still change your attitude for the better. The relationships that Walt develops are moving and the way his character progresses throughout the film is a lovely thing to watch. Overall, the whole plot line of Gran Torino is an engaging little spectacle. It is at times predictable, sometimes a little melodramatic, and every once in a while unbelievable, but it holds together quite well and leads to a very powerful climax.
Gran Torino is an overall pleasant film, but it suffers from a few little things. It starts fairly strong but gets quite weak through the middle as the character of Walt grows and his relationship with Thao forms. There are times where you're not sure where any of this is leading, causing the film to get a little boring and a little tedious. It's not incredibly smooth either, as there are some strange edits and the cuts between scenes seem a little phoned in at times. There are runs of scenes that put the characters all over the place. One scene Walt is at his house, we cut to the next and Walt is driving up to his house. Perhaps too much was left on the cutting room floor because Gran Torino could have used a little more touch up.
But these are really just minor things that take you out of the movie for very short bursts of time. Overall Gran Torino is a good film that keeps you enthralled to the story and characters. Great relationships are formed throughout this film which will lead you to a powerfully touching climax that is absolutely unforgettable. Gran Torino didn't blow me away, but it is a very good effort by Clint Eastwood both as the star and the director.