Gran Torino

“Get Off My Lawn”

He’s back to being completely badass.

Theory proved law – Clint Eastwood doesn’t know how to make a bad movie. And, now, on a rare occasion, he does a great job with the acting. Upon recommendation by my long time friend, Johnny Karian, I was even more excited to see Gran Torino. It was part two of my double feature day, and, after the disappointment with Frost/Nixon, I was hoping this could redeem my day.

Gran Torino takes place in a Detroit neighbourhood, where Clint Eastwood’s character becomes involved with his Asian neighbours and protecting them from a gang. That is a bad summary, so, I encourage you to see it to get the full effect. Along with the absolutely hilarious and well fitting racial epithets every few lines, the film embodies one major theme – real sacrifice. What does it take to make amends, and what are you willing to do, how much are you willing to give up, to help someone else. Anyone who has seen this film knows what I’m talking about.

This is the second successful Eastwood film this year, but the only one in which he acts. I usually don’t think of Eastwood as a great actor. He’s a great filmmaker, but not so much as an actor. This film, however, makes me take a second look. He commanded the screen and made a character that you loved to hate and hated to love at first, but then showed you his true side. I can relate to a lot of his character attributes, and, although I am not nearly as badass as Eastwood, I think my heart is usually in the right place as his character.

The film has feeling, it has a driving plot, and even a sneak peek into social issues among a race that is generally ignored in most contexts. I suggest seeing the film in two weeks, when the theatres won’t be as full of obnoxious moviegoers who don’t know how to hold their laughs. And, although I didn’t find this film as powerful as Changeling, I still feel it deserves to be in the top caliber of films for 2008. So, for the sixth time this year, I will do just that – I give it an A-.