Gran Torino

When I think of Clint Eastwood, I see an old, hurt, and eventually decaying man. Million Dollar Baby gave me that picture. I guess you could say that I am experiencing Déjà vu, because Gran...
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Gran Torino

When I think of Clint Eastwood, I see an old, hurt, and eventually decaying man. Million Dollar Baby gave me that picture. I guess you could say that I am experiencing Déjà vu, because Gran Torino seems to be an echo of that same character psyche (though I have not seen Million Dollar Baby for a while, I do hope I am right in this). However, this echo is by no means fading. Sure he is playing the same character. Practice does make perfect, and boy does that saying come into play here.

The acting, closely seconded by great lines, is what makes Gran Torino. Going into the theater I expected drama from the start (there is plenty to go around, do not be worried), but was caught off guard to be laughing quite a bit. The humor is mostly creative names for Walt’s Hmong neighbors, and other memorable qoutes that make Clint Eastwood a big potty mouth. His constant frustration and deep emotional pain is ultimately what makes this happen. So far this may sound like a bit of a laugh festival (which it kind of is, I guess), but I will rudely interrupt you to state that my heart was thumping throughout the movie. My mind was going too; foreshadowing literally states the climax in vague terms. I almost feel like the movie was not serious enough. Gangbangers do play into the plot, but for large portions of the movie, jokes about manhood lighten things up---dangerously close to too much. Intensity does come about, mostly from plots that temporarily take a back seat. The dialogue adds to both sides of the equation. I would laugh and get excited for some ass kicking simultaneously, making for some temporary joy and lacking some lasting satisfaction.

From what I gather in whiffs and random articles in magazines and the internet, Clint Eastwood is known for thrusting terrific lines through gritted teeth. This happens plenty of times (old? Not really). There are many bodacious lines, all of them executed with that familiar “Ever notice how you come across somebody once in a while you shouldn't have messed with? That's me.� kind of BAMFness. I know I haven’t mentioned the plot at all, but the acting and writing fits perfectly into the context of an already great story. By the end of the movie, the heart that is deep within Walt is visible, through event and symbol. It is ironic that throughout the movie, Walt can maintain everything in his house except himself. Maybe that is his conscience decision, or maybe not. I heard somewhere that lots of great stories have ambiguous endings.

Gran Torino, probably like driving the car itself, never gets boring. A teeny tiny breath of predictable air is cleverly inserted into the movie (actually, it cancels itself out!), leaving space for thought as well as taking up a bit. Without a doubt Clint Eastwood is the carrier of this film. The other young actors deserve their time on screen, especially the witty Sue. I can’t help but feel like the other actors deserve less shadow cast on them, but at the same time feel grateful that they did not carry the film themselves. What Gran Torino does best, is really what Clint Eastwood does best: Entertain with a badass lead, regardless of age (which makes it all the sweeter). As I grow up and eventually grow old, the image that will come to mind when I summon my memories of Clint Eastwood will be this: Old guy, fearsome acting, and dirty insults. I love it already.