Gran Torino Review
If there’s anyone who tempts you to utter the phrase, “lovably racist”, it’s Clint Eastwood in Gran Torino.
Relax, I’m not saying he’s lovably racist. But he is lovable. And racist. Sure it’s not okay that he calls every Asian person gook, and responds to his barber’s request for 10 bucks for a haircut with, “Jesus Christ, what are you half-jewish or somethin?”.
But listen, this is who he is. We all know old folks like this. They say horribly inappropriate things, but if push came to shove they would do the right thing for someone of that other race. Gran Torino illustrates that notion, basically.
Clint plays Walt Kowalksi, Korean war Veteran, and pretty clearly racist towards anyone of the Asian persuasion.
So then some people of the Asian persuasion move in next door.
If you’ve seen the trailer you pretty much know where it’s all going. Eastwood is a total jerk to pretty much everybody, but eventually the friendly Asian children next door get to him, and he softens up.
The neighborhood gang keeps causing trouble for everyone though, and eventually Walt has to figure out a way to make the gang-bangers leave his newfound Asian friends (basically newfound children, the film implies, as Walt is estranged from his real family) alone.
Nick Schenk’s screenplay is filled with hilarious dialogue, in what has got to be Eastwood’s most crowd-pleasing film in years. The juxtaposition of Walt’s out-of-touch racist comments with the present day is the comedic gift that keeps on giving.
Eastwood is an actor capable of giving a subtle, nuanced performance, particularly in the role of grumpy old gunslinger (see Unforgiven). But Schenk’s script clearly veers more toward comedy, and so Eastwood really plays it up. He grunts louder, he contorts his face, in many ways it’s as much a comic performance as a dramatic one.
Two first timers play the Asian children Walt befriends. Ahney Her, who plays Sue, comes off as more comfortable and believable than Bee Vang, who does okay but is clearly feeling his way into performing during some of the more dramatic scenes as Tao.
Bottom Line
It’s a good, old-fashioned movie. Your dad will like it. You’ll like it. Grandma’ll probably like it.
Further proof of that
This weekend, it’s first in wide release, Variety.com just reported Gran Torino grossed the largest opening in Clint Eastwood’s career with 29 million. It’s already made 40 million. Given it’s crowd-pleasing qualities (the crowd I saw it with laughed over half the dialogue, it was so funny) expect this movie to gross over 100 million by the end of its run.
Nobody said it was subtle
Really. Let’s give some examples.
1) Tao is initially approached by a gang while READING A BOOK.
2) Walt’s grown-up children only talk to him when they want something. And his grandkids are so disrespectful they wear a)a Lions jersey and b)a belly-ring, as well as text message during Walt’s wife’s funeral.
Award for most racial name-calling ever goes to…
Scripter Nick Schenk, who comes up with racist insults I’ve never even heard of.
-Dan Benamor