Review: Gran Torino

Get off my lawn...

A good majority of films can be adequately explained in a paragraph or two. It is often a mistake trying to put too much material into a relatively short time frame. As a result, most often a character’s motivation is made relatively clear, the factors concerning his actions relatively straightforward, and the events surrounding him, more or less, are predictable to a degree. Gran Torino is a difficult film to describe because it does exactly the opposite. It is a movie defined not by dramatic, sweeping events, but by the little things. Small snippets of dialogue, the look in a character’s eye, the tiniest of subtle details; all coming together to form a moving and memorable glance into the lives of characters brought to life on the screen.

Gran Torino, directed by and starring Clint Eastwood, follows primarily the character of Walt Kowalski, a retired automotive worker and Korean War veteran. From the very start of the movie, we see Walt as a grizzled, bitter man. Attending his wife’s funeral, he scowls at the eulogy of the young priest, growls at his sons and their spoiled children, and spews racial epitaphs at the primarily immigrant population in his neighborhood. As you might’ve guessed already, Walt is pissed off, basically all the time. When one of his Hmong neighbors, Thao, gets entangled with a gang led by his older cousin, Walt gets inadvertently pulled in. As his life becomes more and more intertwined with those of his Hmong neighbors, Walt is pushed increasingly forward towards the film’s stunning climax.

In a lesser film, Torino would have ended fairly predictably; Walt would have realized that racism is wrong, made amends with his estranged family, and proceeded to live a quiet life of dignity and kindness. Gran Torino on the other hand, refuses to submit to such “Hollywood” dribble. It pulls no punches and gives you the story it wants to tell. By the end of the movie, Walt is no less bitter, no less tough, mean, or gnarled. But like I said before, it is the little things in this film that make it what it is. The small look of satisfaction in Walt’s eye as he watches Thao work through the rain. The moment of silence he shares with the priest as they sip beer together. The way he stumbles through the Hmong culture with growing admiration. These are the things that separate Gran Torino from the heaps of less significant movies that tried to tackle the same themes. In the end, Walt has no grand, dramatic and clear change of heart; and yet, he has changed. And although he doesn’t end the film a different man, that would be too easy, he ends it a better man regardless.

Moving past the plot, there is little to criticize in this film. The score isn’t groundbreaking, but it does its job well enough. The pacing is masterful and each scene is beautifully and artistically constructed. What we have here is Eastwood’s directing ability in its prime. All of the cinematic elements are impeccably put together to form an amazing piece of cinematography.

I do have one complaint though. While Eastwood’s acting is amazing, captures his character perfectly, and easily and rightfully carries the film; I cannot say the same for the rest of the cast. In an interesting decision, much of the cast is made up of first-time actors and actresses; perhaps in an effort to capture honest and ingenious performances. Unfortunately, I found them to be all too often distracting. While they certainly make a good effort, their inexperience really shines through way to often. Luckily, Eastwood’s ability easily negates their greenness and he carries the film effortlessly.

All in all, I urge you to see this film. It’s not a film that goes out and tries to change how you see the world. It doesn’t stoop down to any of that "the world’s a magical place nonsense" that so many critically acclaimed films this year have. It’s an honest, down to earth portrayal of one man’s struggles. Not a man deciding to go out and inspire the world. Not a man who realizes his mistakes and turns his entire life around. No, simply a man and his story; and in a world of movies over-saturated with Hollywood feel-good plots, you can’t ask for much more.