Gran Torino

USA 2008, 116 minutes
Dir. Clint Eastwood
Genres: Drama, Suspense/Crime

Topics: Indigenous & Minority Cultures, Late-life.

Feat. Clint Eastwood, Bee Vang, Ahney Her, Christopher Carley

Aroview: Grizzly Korean war veteran Clint Eastwood puts aside his prejudices to defend a family of Hmong immigrants from Asian gangsters in this clear cut and very American tale of redemption.

Questioning his manhood and hardcore nationalism in a modern world (symbolised through the film's eponymous muscle car), Eastwood attempts to recontextualize the hard-line and wise-cracking attitude of his Dirty Harry legend, although for the most part he comes across as mere caricature. With an adolescent approach towards problem solving and conflict resolution, the film offers bittersweet and heart-warming moments, yet may not fool everyone with its simplistic and broadly drawn worldview.

Member Reviews

Average rating (Good Enough). Showing 1-3 of 4 member reviews.

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3 stars (Good Enough) Walt, a recently widowed grumpy Korean War veteren, fed up with immigrant neighbours, forms an unlikely relationship with Thao whose bullied by an Hispanic gang into stealing his beloved Torino. Fairly heart-warming tale of overcoming prejudices. ~GenXGirl
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2 stars (Good Try) Not sure I'd bother. Humour as painfully glacial as Clint's facial features. Possible silver linings: new levels of self-parody in Clint's schtick; game of "spot the difference" against _Karate Kid_; update of old Western in mean Mid-West streets. ~fudaizhi
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3 stars (Good Enough) Eastwood's laconic, aging character out of place in a modern world changed and changing beyond recognition, and definitely not about to go gentle into that good night. O.K. movie, but has already been done many times. ~Anon