'Vintage' Eastwood

Rating: 7/10 (16 July 2009)

Clint Eastwood can't put a foot wrong these days. Ever since 'Mystic River' he has been putting out cinematic gems and 'Gran Torino' is no exception. Plus he's even in this one as well! When we first meet Walt Kowalski it is in a church and he is standing by his wife's coffin glaring down the aisle at the mourners as they take their places. As his grown-up sons and their children arrive he snarls in their direction making no effort to hide his contempt. Walt snarls a lot in this film and never more so when confronted by his disappointing offspring.
With his wife now gone Walt lives alone with just his dog for company the only white man in a district that has become predominantly Korean. Not exactly the ideal milieu for a Korean war veteran and he makes his dislike for his neighbours very clear – and very often. Then one night when he catches the kid from next door trying to steal his Gran Torino he is dragged into the family's life and his own is changed forever.
This apparently has been Eastwood's most successful film ever taking in over 140 Million dollars at the U.S. box office alone. It's a success that's richly deserved and if as rumoured it is Clint's final appearance as an actor then it's a fine performance to close on. Looking every day of his 79 years he still manages to convey real menace from Walt when he takes on the local gang and you know whose side you'd want to be on. There had been stories circulating before the film's release that this was actually a final 'Dirty Harry' movie (which may have accounted for its enormous success) and while Walt Kowalski is not Harry Callaghan he's just as compelling and entertaining a character made all the more so by the great grizzled performance on show here.