Gran Torino: A study in racial slurs
Gran Torino was a movie I wanted to see but didn't want to see at the same time. On one hand from the trailer the movie seemed interesting but on the other hand it doesn't seem like something that could fill an entire film and remain interesting throughout. So the movie kinda staying in limbo for me for a while. I finally watched it when some of my friends wanted to see it. And I have to say am I glad I did.
The movie is about a Korean war veteran, Walt Kowalski (Clint Eastwood), who's wife has just passed away. Walt is a broken down man who has a terrible relationship with his sons and their families. He lives in a Detroit neighborhood mostly populated by minorities, mainly Hmong people. In his old age he lives life as a chore going around with a constant scowl on his face while uttering racial slurs at anyone he gets a chance to speak to. One night Walt hears noises from his garage and goes to see what the problem is. He finds a Hmong boy who is trying to steal his 1972 Gran Torino as a gang initiation. He chases the boy off; unbeknownst to him at the time this boy is his next door neighbor. Soon the gang returns and tries to take the boy, Thao (Bee Vang), against his will for another initiation attempt. Walt confronts the gang with a rifle not because he cares about Thao but because the altercation ends up on his lawn. A few days later Walt is driving when he sees Thao's sister, Sue (Ahney Her), being harassed by 3 black guys. After contemplating things for a while Walt decided to help her. So he drives up to the guys and calls them "spades" and eventually pulls a pistol on them. This begins Walt's change as a human being. He is slowly befriended by the Hmong family next door and grows to love them more so than his own family, who don't seem to have any time for him. The main conflict of the movie is with the gang trying to recruit Thao. The climax come when that whole situation reaches a head.
Gran Torino really is a stellar film. The best I've seen in quite awhile. The plot is actually interesting enough to keep you enthralled throughout the entire film. Each character has their own personality that really stands out from the others (although that wasn't due to the actors but rather the writing but I will get to that). The film can have you laughing one moment then on the verge of tears (as in almost crying, not tears from laughter) the next. I was able to empathize with Walt's character and that emotional connection made the movie that much more enjoyable to watch. Although the movie had a cliched theme of tolerance and how people can change the way it goes about telling this tale is very well done. Just watching Walt slowly begin to love and accept his next door and open up to them is a thing to see. The way the film is written the transition feels natural and not forced or contrived.
I really only have a single complaint with this movie. And that has to do with the acting. Clint Eastwood was amazing and without his performance as Walt I don't think the film would have been quite that good. I mean Eastwood has always been playing a tough guy in his prior films so he has the swagger so to speak. But as good as Eastwood was Bee Vang, the actor who portrays Thao, is equally awful. He just comes across as someone reciting lines; there is rarely any emotion in anything he says and his delivery has a tendency to sound strained almost like he's trying too hard to sound natural. The worst part about his performance was that during one scene that should have been emotional and powerful I was laughing because his acting was that bad. It really took the wind out of that scene that was a rather important part of the film.
I am really in awe of the fact that this film was not nominated for Best Picture in the Golden Globes. Although in all fairness I have yet to see any of the nominated films, I feel like Gran Torino is going to be really hard to top. I can't remember the last time I enjoyed a movie as much as I did Gran Torino. It was well written and timed plot with believable characters that the audience could connect with. What else can you ask for? And I even learned a handful of outdated racial slurs that I had never heard before. So not only was the movie a great film it was also educational. But anyway go see Gran Torino I promise you won't be disappointed.
The movie is about a Korean war veteran, Walt Kowalski (Clint Eastwood), who's wife has just passed away. Walt is a broken down man who has a terrible relationship with his sons and their families. He lives in a Detroit neighborhood mostly populated by minorities, mainly Hmong people. In his old age he lives life as a chore going around with a constant scowl on his face while uttering racial slurs at anyone he gets a chance to speak to. One night Walt hears noises from his garage and goes to see what the problem is. He finds a Hmong boy who is trying to steal his 1972 Gran Torino as a gang initiation. He chases the boy off; unbeknownst to him at the time this boy is his next door neighbor. Soon the gang returns and tries to take the boy, Thao (Bee Vang), against his will for another initiation attempt. Walt confronts the gang with a rifle not because he cares about Thao but because the altercation ends up on his lawn. A few days later Walt is driving when he sees Thao's sister, Sue (Ahney Her), being harassed by 3 black guys. After contemplating things for a while Walt decided to help her. So he drives up to the guys and calls them "spades" and eventually pulls a pistol on them. This begins Walt's change as a human being. He is slowly befriended by the Hmong family next door and grows to love them more so than his own family, who don't seem to have any time for him. The main conflict of the movie is with the gang trying to recruit Thao. The climax come when that whole situation reaches a head.
Gran Torino really is a stellar film. The best I've seen in quite awhile. The plot is actually interesting enough to keep you enthralled throughout the entire film. Each character has their own personality that really stands out from the others (although that wasn't due to the actors but rather the writing but I will get to that). The film can have you laughing one moment then on the verge of tears (as in almost crying, not tears from laughter) the next. I was able to empathize with Walt's character and that emotional connection made the movie that much more enjoyable to watch. Although the movie had a cliched theme of tolerance and how people can change the way it goes about telling this tale is very well done. Just watching Walt slowly begin to love and accept his next door and open up to them is a thing to see. The way the film is written the transition feels natural and not forced or contrived.
I really only have a single complaint with this movie. And that has to do with the acting. Clint Eastwood was amazing and without his performance as Walt I don't think the film would have been quite that good. I mean Eastwood has always been playing a tough guy in his prior films so he has the swagger so to speak. But as good as Eastwood was Bee Vang, the actor who portrays Thao, is equally awful. He just comes across as someone reciting lines; there is rarely any emotion in anything he says and his delivery has a tendency to sound strained almost like he's trying too hard to sound natural. The worst part about his performance was that during one scene that should have been emotional and powerful I was laughing because his acting was that bad. It really took the wind out of that scene that was a rather important part of the film.
I am really in awe of the fact that this film was not nominated for Best Picture in the Golden Globes. Although in all fairness I have yet to see any of the nominated films, I feel like Gran Torino is going to be really hard to top. I can't remember the last time I enjoyed a movie as much as I did Gran Torino. It was well written and timed plot with believable characters that the audience could connect with. What else can you ask for? And I even learned a handful of outdated racial slurs that I had never heard before. So not only was the movie a great film it was also educational. But anyway go see Gran Torino I promise you won't be disappointed.
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