Gran Torino

*** Stars

Clint Eastwood has picked the perfect role for his final acting performance. Playing Walt Kowalski, he nostalgically gives homage to all his past roles. This is what Dirty Harry would be like if he retired in a modern American suburb.

While Eastwood's showcase is a complete success, it also brings out the failures of Gran Torino too. The film is all Eastwood and nothing more. All supporting performances are mostly weak and the subplots tend to linger. This is really just a film to celebrate Eastwood's remarkable career.

With that, I am saddened that Eastwood missed out on a Best Actor nomination for his performance as Walt. It's as strong of a portrayal that he's ever given. And hell, the man is pushing 80 years old and I know he can still kick my ass. Along with yours.

Walt is a racist old fart who spends his days fixing things and drinking Pabst Blue Ribbon. After the passing of his wife, Walt is alone in a neighborhood that's no longer his. He is surrounded by other ethnicity's, one's that he has, to put nicely, never been particularly fond of. Let's just say I learned a lot of new curse words from this film.

He soon befriends his young Asian neighbor, Thao, who tries to steal Walt's Gran Torino for a gang initiation act. He puts him to work (not by choice, Thao's sister insists) to fix things around his house. Throughout their relationship, Walt begins to realize that times have changed and he is nearing his end.

Gran Torino is a study of cultural differences and the maturity of modern society. The rise of gangs around this neighborhood is an eerie image of a forceful flood of violence venting into their unwanted territories.

I very much liked Gran Torino. I liked it's ability to stay grounded inside an isolated area, I adore Eastwood's performance, and I even liked Walt's philosophical conversations with a young priest. It's too bad though that I didn't love this movie. Was it because of my high expeectations? Probably. But come on, I can't think of anything less when it comes to one of the greatest icons in film history.