GRAN TORINO (Warner Bros.)
Directed by Clint Eastwood

Sometimes the easiest of stories, one’s that never yield to any unneeded twists or turns, can work out better than imagined, given the right talent behind the camera. Now, some will argue anyone in Hollywood can make this type of film, but I beg to differ. Too often I have seen director’s take a somewhat easy story and mess it up with gratuitous special effects or drama to satisfy some idiotic demographic the producers are trying to tap. It’s for this reason I look for a director to take a simple premise, one we all have seen done before, and make something out of it that no one expected. It doesn’t happen often, as most of the time we do see the same old tired routine, but every now and then we’ll find that story. Clint Eastwood’s GRAN TORINO is that story and one that on the surface doesn’t seem too involved, but winds up moving you in more ways than one when it’s all said and done.

As noted, the story in this one doesn’t get too deep, but does follow Walt Kowalski (Clint Eastwood), a retired ex-Marine and former Ford factory worker who was starting to get tired of seeing one Asian family after the next move into the neighborhood. You see Walt was a tad bit racist; having grown up in the days where being an American looked and felt much different. So, seeing his beloved neighborhood transform like this was not easy for him, and when his 72’ Gran Torino was almost stolen by one of these so-called gang members, that feeling of disgust toward his “new” neighbors only got worse. But, Walt was not going to back down, oh no, he was too proud for that. In fact, he was so proud; he wouldn’t even listen to his own son Mitch (Brian Haley) and daughter-in-law Karen (Geraldine Hughes) when they tried to convince him to move away from the neighborhood he held so dear into a more peaceful setting. It was later Walt found out the perpetrator that tried to steal his car was his own neighbor Thao (Bee Vang), a young Hmong teen forced into one of these Asian gangs by his cousin. Now, forced to make amends with the cranky old man to restore honor to his family, Thao offers up his services to Walt, hoping all will be forgotten after a few chores are completed. And in the mitts of making all this right, Walt and Thao strike up a unique friendship that neither expected, learning more and more about each other. But, just when things started to take a turn for the better, Thao and his sister Sue Lor (Ahney Her) are threatened by gang members, leaving Walt with no other choice but to fight back. With his sights set on making all this go away by whatever means possible, Walt devises a plan to clean up the neighborhood once and for all.

It’s no surprise the only member to this cast with any clout is Clint himself, but honestly, no one else matters. With a story like this, I could care less about who Brian Haley or Brian Howe is, both playing the sons of Walt (Eastwood). And when I say a story “like this,” I mean one that we’ve seen before and one that's quite simplistic when you break it all down. I think with any other lead actor or director, this movie would have never made it and certainly wouldn’t have been among the top films at the box office for consecutive weeks. The story alone is not enough, so Clint’s ability to bring humor out of seriousness, like he does here was absolutely brilliant and the best part of it was, you could relate to it. So many of us have a relative or some distant Aunt or Uncle that acts closely to what Clint does in this film, so that alone will make any performance shine, much less one turned in by the iconic legend. And it’s in the way he does it too, so easily and with no holding back, like each moment of emotion was his last. I was impressed and given Clint’s volume of work, who knows where this ranks ultimately, but to me it was among his best, simply because it was a different and unique role for Clint.

Without a doubt, GRAN TORINO would have never made it without the grace and talent of Clint Eastwood, both actor and director here. As if everything he has done in his career was not enough, he takes on this project and absolutely knocks it out of the park. He puts that official Clint Eastwood stamp on this film that only he could make visible and does so with integrity. At no point do you feel unattached to this story and just in the way it was filmed makes you believe there’s nothing this great actor/director can’t do. For me, who never grew up watching Eastwood, I can’t relate to what he meant to Hollywood then, but I sure know what he means to Hollywood now and without him, a certain amount of credibility is lost. And what’s even more amazing is just how quiet Clint goes about his business. I mean, this guy doesn’t quit and at least to me, just when you think he has hung up the lead acting for good, he breaks out with this role, which should have garnered at least an Oscar nod, but as I write this, that surprisingly didn’t happen. There’s just this feeling you have when watching him in this film and I can’t help but imagine him setting up this film behind the camera, knowing exactly where he needs to be and what shot will produce what. I think that overall perspective allows this film to look so original, despite its core being one we all have seen before.

GRAN TORINO is nothing spectacular. It’s not even a film you would rave about around the water cooler the next day at work. But, that’s the beauty of it, as a story as straightforward as this one can lead to a performance like the one turned in by the legendary actor/director himself. Because, in the end, it doesn’t matter how big or little a fan you are of Clint, as this film proves there’s still a lot left in the tank for this savvy veteran.

B+