Gran Torino: A Clint Eastwood Classic

Of course it got nominations and great reviews but I have to ask why no major award for the self-produced and directed Gran Torino of Sir Clint Eastwood. Has the critics gotten tired of him playing the old wise man roles. The way he plays with spiritual themes. The way he coaches protagonists in the stories that he create.

Gran Torino touches on racial, domestic and old people issues. The story is well paced. It follows the life of a Korean War veteran who likes to call people names — prick, gooks, toad and spooks (to name a few). I was constantly checking out the seek bar at the bottom of my Windows Media Player just to get an idea when will the story jump the shark. However, I soon realized this is Eastwood’s way of immersing you in the film, slowly but surely. Eastwood’s character found itself initially pissed with his Hmong neighbors. They are depicted in the movie as a clannish, foodie and traditional set of immigrants. He particularly touched on the accidental friendship that his character made with a local Hmong boy named Thao.

Thao was asked by the Asian gang that wants to take him in, to get Walt’s vintage Gran Torino (it’s actually a car), as part of their initiation process. Thao fails after Walt caught him at gun point. Thao’s mother asked Walt to let Thao work for him for a couple of days to make amends.

A number of times Eastwood’s character saves Thao and his sister. Until, one day, after avenging Thao from the gang who mugged him on his way home from work, Thao’s house was stormed with gunshots. Revenge was inevitable as Walt is already a family to his Hmong neighbors. However, Sue, Thao’s sister, gets home half dead after being assaulted and raped by the gang. Walt blamed himself for the violence reigning in Thao’s family.

He went up to the gang’s place. He condemned the member for the crimes they do to their own people. He motions out his usual invisible gun. As he was reaching for his lighter in his coat pocket he was shot multiple times by the gang members. Police reports said he didn’t bring any weapon that night. He was just really reaching for his lighter.

He died. However, many witnessed the murder. All of the gang members were put behind bars.

I started watching the film having a clear idea, or so I thought how the story would develop. True, it didn’t offer anything new. But the movie reminded us that living and dying, though exact opposites can work hand in hand for the common good. He died so that the entire Hmong community can live in relative peace. Tears surprisingly welled up down my face as Thao drove with Daisy (Walt’s dog) in the Gran Torino that he inherited from Walt.

It didn’t offer anything new BUT Clint Eastwood reminds his viewer time and again of the values that today’s society seem to slowly forget. Family, racial tolerance, friendship and love.

The priest, who was requested by Walt’s wife to make him do confession, said that many who are like him, headstrong and free-thinking men, who confessed their sins and asked for forgiveness found peace afterwards. When Walt died after finally going for a confession with that priest, he truly has found peace.

Critic’s nods may not be enough to get it a Golden Globes or Oscars; I understand this now, because Clint Eastwood’s Gran Torino is in a league of its own. I think this is a great film and my Best Movie of the year.