GRAN TORINO

Director: Clint Eastwood

Stars: Clint Eastwood, Bee Vang, Christopher Carley, Ahney Her, John Carroll Lynch
Year: 2008

Rating: R

One of the best films of 2008 - and one of my favorite films ever - Gran Torino shows off Clint Eastwood at the height of his career as both director and actor.

Here he plays Walt Kowalski, a recently-widowed Korean War vet who, as a character in the film later points out, is "still living in the 1950s." Racist, grouchy, irascible and opinionated, Walt - with the death of his wife - suddenly finds himself all alone in the world. Sure, he has two sons - both spoiled, self-absorbed, and fairly uncaring human beings - but they're busy raising their own families, and pretty much only care about Walt in terms of what they may get as an inheritance later. With only his dog Daisy for company, Walt is more than happy to keep them away from him - but he can't get away from the fact that he lives in a decaying neighborhood in suburban Michigan, where gangs are taking over the streets and he may just be the last white guy in the area.

This is never more evident than when Walt catches the young Vietnamese man who lives with his family next door, Thao (newcomer Bee Vang, in an outstanding, understated performance), trying to steal his most prized possession - his 1972, mint-condition Gran Torino ... but then later actually saves Thao's life, when Thao's dragged from his home by his cousin and the Asian street gang he belongs to. Walt's actions, in saving Thao, earns him the respect of - and many gifts from - Thao's family and the other Hmong/Vietnamese families in the neighborhood, who adorn his porch steps with food and flowers alike. Walt's not having none of it, though, and tosses everything in the trash ... but soon Thao's older sister, Sue (Ahney Her), slowly begins to break through Walt's tough exterior - even through all his racist remarks and sarcastic mouth, and unlikely friendship is born that even extends to Walt becoming a mentor of sorts to Thao, as he tries to "man up" the guy to better prepare him for life.

And somehow, through it all, as Eastwood's character still remains ornery and a racist and and a bitter old man who "knows more about death than life" - Walt also remains a man you can't help but grow to love. Eastwood's performance is perfection; Walt never comes off as caricature, and often is as humorous as he is shocking in his behavior. The film is, in fact, funny, touching, suspenseful, and dramatic - yet never corny or overly-sentimental, and never falls into melodrama; Eastwood's character never evolves into a kindly, old Ernest Borgnine-type grandpa, like a bad Hallmark Channel TV-movie, but instead remains just as cranky and bitter as ever throughout ... and the film still works beautifully. It's a touching and very real story that rides squarely on Eastwood's shoulders - and good GOD, does he handle it (both in front of and behind the camera) masterfully. A wonderful, inspiring and courageous film that deserves all the accolades it's received ... and more. ***** - Reel Must-See