Gran Torino (Blu-ray/DVD Combo) [Blu-ray]

Spoiler alert! Surprise twist. This movie was recommended to me and I like Clint Eastwood as director as much as actor so I figured why not. I bought rather than rented since the difference wasn't much and the friend urged me that I'd love it. He was so right. It was typical Clint, monosyllabic, irascible, old dude apparently hates the world but has secret wounds and deeper love or emotions than you'd ever guess, and he can't even see them. He acts like he is mean and gruffly tough, but he protects others from taking matters into their own hands and hurting themselves worse than if they'd never done anything. He appears to be going to do violence on their behalf but instead while arguing with the Priest and using Jesus' name in vain over and over; gives his life utterly to save them all. He falls back reminiscent of Charlton Heston in Omega Man; like Christ on the cross, his body lays spread out on the ground and the bad guys are all arrested and the good guys stayed good. Clint's character, like Christ, has taken on all their sins for them in that he is tainted, he has killed in defense of his country but can't be freed of it. So it is 'okay' if he dies for someone else. He will be redeemed thus, and save everyone else thus. In a sense he makes a way for the bad guys to be saved too as they can choose to use prison to change their lives (yes it is possible) or not, but at least they aren't all dead at the end. Oh what does Gran Torino have to do with it? The Clint character worked at the auto plant and built it himself and takes special care with it and the gang tried to force the neighbor kid to join the gang by stealing it. The Hmong neighbors shower Clint with presents for not having the kid arrested and the family insists that the boy work for Clint to pay for his sins. Clint tries to refuse, then tries to make the boy miserable, then finally teaches him how to work, how to learn, and how to get a job and keep it without having to go with the gangs. Again, he is a Christ character in that he lives what he teaches and he is a good teacher. Now, I realize many Christians would be offended that I say all this about a nasty tempered cussing and drinking man who mocks the Priest and God and uses Jesus' name in vain. I am bothered for instance that the character goes to confession at the end but doesn't confess that which hurts him the most. And as he gives his life, he prays Hail Mary out loud instead of Our Father. Despite some Roman Catholic's pious beliefs, Mary is NOT do-mediatrix with Jesus and has NEVER been declared to be so by any official RC authority. As a former student of a religious order within Catholicism, and a Lutheran Pastor's wife for 41 years; I can tell you that I personally find prayers to dead people offensive as scripture promises that 1. After death one time is the judgement (not after purgatory) and 2. In heaven there will be no more sorrow, sickness, or pain. Thus, no one in heaven has any idea of us on earth anymore. Many "Protestant" people talk about their loved ones in heaven watching over them but sheesh it ain't so or it would not be heaven for their loved ones. God watches over us and He is all we need. In heaven we will be so caught up in worship and praise we won't notice anything else nor care. Eternal bliss and ecstasy that has nothing to do with my filthy rags of righteous efforts. Jesus paid the whole price for me. So let Him take you directly to the throne of Grace and don't waste time and energy praying to Mary or any other dead saint or non-saint. don't cling to the idea of your loved one's watching over you. Trust in a REAL LIVE God who is always LOVING you and watching all of us all the time. He KNOWS it all and STILL loves you. You don't need to be afraid of Him finding stuff out and rejecting you. He knows already and loves you. There is nothing you can do to make Him love you more. The character in the movie does do more but it is implied that he gives up all his own efforts and just surrenders his life and that he does make whatever effort with the light he has, to get right with His Redeemer before he dies too. And there is scripture indicating that God judges according to the light we have. Now that is real mercy & loving sacrifice! The movie is an allusion and a type and shadow of that reality. I love seeing redemption themes in rough stories. I hope you will too. Even having read my review, I hope you will still watch it and see if I missed something. Thanks,

Clint Eastwood's second directorial endeavor of 2007--the second of the fall season, in fact--"Gran Torino," is quite different from the previous movie, "Changeling," in a number of ways (unlike in 2006, the last time he had two films in a single season, in which both naturally complemented each other: "Flags of Our Fathers" and "Letters from Iwo Jima").The previous film was set in a 1920s-era Los Angeles that, in its physical appearance, seemed picture-perfect; the current movie uses an aging, gritty, modern-day Detroit as its backdrop. Although he did not appear on-screen in "Changeling," he returns as a hero in "Torino," albeit an imperfect one. The main protagonists of both films are searching: Angelina Jolie's main mission in "Changeling" is to find her missing son; actor Eastwood's main goal, though not explicitly stated, is to find redemption for an old guilt that haunts him.Where Jolie's character, Christine Collins, is shown to be beautiful and virtually flawless, saintly to the point where it almost works against the character and her picture, Eastwood plays Walt Kowalski, whose racial prejudice and male chauvinism are thinly veiled beneath his weathered skin and often seep through his contemptuous grimace--and his character and his picture are better for this plain honesty, this flaw that, as the film progresses, he finds himself successfully overcoming, though he never makes it an actual goal to do so. It just happens--and convincingly so.At the start of the movie, Kowalski is an old-time veteran of the Korean war, has just lost his beloved wife and has little left except his dog Daisy, a big, immaculately-maintained--and utterly empty--house and a lifetime of bitterness. The only thing he nurtures, it seems, is his contempt for the Koreans who, over time, have become the dominant majority in his decaying neighborhood, especially those who just moved into the house next door.The story is also about those Koreans next door, in particular the shy teenage boy Thao Vang Lor (Bee Vang), who is intelligent and content to do chores around the house he shares with his older sister, Sue (Ahney Her), and their family, such as gardening, washing the dishes and other tasks considered by most others he knows as "women's work." That combination of meekness, academic smarts and tidiness give others, in particular his cousin and his brutal gang, a reason, in their own minds, to ridicule Thao as weak and to recruit him into their ranks, which they do repeatedly and aggressively enough that he finally joins them, albeit reluctantly.His first assignment is one that will inadvertently bring him and his neighbor closer together, though unwittingly. To pass his initiation, he must steal Kowalski's Gran Torino, a vintage 1970s sports car with sleek lines and a cool metal sheen, kept in mint condition by its owner, who seems to love it more than anything, in part because he worked, for many years, on the assembly line that built the model.After Kowalski's confrontations foil the gang's and assorted other thugs' malevolence directed toward Thao and Sue, he becomes, in Sue's words, "a hero to the neighborhood" and, before long, he is lavishly bestowed with gifts of food--a custom that arrived with the immigrants to the area--and invited to a huge feast at the Lor's home, attended by their extended family. It's terribly difficult, of course to continue to hate people when they treat one with such kindness, so it is not a surprise that these two cultures of people become something of a family. The majority of the film's middle is about how Kowalski warms to the Lors, gradually learns of Korean culture (mostly by a humorous trial and error), protects Sue and Thao almost as if they were of his own blood, and, in particular, becomes Thao's guide and mentor, with a "tough-love" approach in an almost surrogate-father relationship. Really, it's about how a man who seemed to have lost the capacity to love, learns to love people again.The last section, consisting chiefly of a final showdown between Kowalski and the Korean thugs who have set their sights on Thao, is not as interesting as the rest of the story, as we all know that, like good against bad in westerns, it is bound to happen. Nevertheless, it plays out in a way that we may not expect, is suspenseful and caps a film in which much actually happens, not always in terms of action but in human relations.It is that stylistically simple, unvarnished focus on people and their friendships they find in those they didn't expect that makes this film more personal than some of Eastwood's other directorial offerings--"Changeling," for example. There is sincere slice-of-life quality that is by turns dramatic and humorous, though never inappropriately so. It is a compliment that this picture, in its appearance and feel, is simple and rather nuanced, lacking the higher-concept style of most Hollywood movies that deal with similar issues, including many of Eastwood's own. High-tension fights which, in other films, might be allowed a more aesthetically extravagant depiction are, here, more subdued (though there is a scene that may remind some of Eastwood's over-the-top 1970s-era action film "The Gauntlet," but only in the vaguest sense). Even the gang members generally look like average people, save for their behavior, and not over-stylized, super-hyper, muscular beasts as some other movies would easily render them.Vang and Her give capable, if somewhat nondescript, performances as the brother and sister Kowalski takes under his wing, and there is a memorable relationship between the cranky and militant senior citizen and Father Janovich (Christopher Carley), a boyishly young priest ardent on obtaining a confession from his skeptical parishioner, as was his wife's wish, and who questions the old man's methods of handling the trouble imposed by the gangs. But, the stand-out performance is Eastwood's own, frequently portraying Kowalski as old, curmudgeonly and stubborn, yes, but also with that old Eastwood toughness and, when the film calls for it, the pro's charm. Unsurprisingly, most of the memorable lines in the script are reserved for him, yet not all are spoken; many of the best lines are communicated solely through his face and gestures and even an occasional growl. The former Dirty Harry and Man with No Name is the centerpiece, of course, but it would have been nice if the generally well-written screenplay (by Nick Schenk, from a story he co-wrote with Dave Johannson) gave the supporting cast more juicy words to say as well. As it is, in the language department, they are, for the most part, mere bystanders.Eastwood has long played heroes whose backgrounds, means and even motives can be questioned. Increasingly, though, each of his characters is also, in his own way, vulnerable. In fact, the latter part of his acting career ("Million Dollar Baby," "Unforgiven" and, to a lesser degree, "The Outlaw Josie Wales"), has seen him make something of a specialty of playing such people, and his depiction in his latest film fits that category like an weathered shoe fits an old pro.This film, in some ways a sleeper of the season, has much to say about big issues that affect us all: culture, tolerance, acceptance, redemption. Overall, it says them quite well, in its understated way, handling its issues more credibly than its more flamboyant counterpart from Eastwood this season, "Changeling." This, I suppose, is the most important difference of all between the films. Not that you need to see both to enjoy "Gran Torino."

Excellent movie - you can't beat Clint Eastwood (except for a few duds like Bernadette Peters and her squeaky voice and Every Which Way but Loose, etc.). Dirty Harry and spaghetti westerns - nobody can beat Clint. This movie, Unforgiven, The Mule shows that Eastwood can still do great movies in his older age !We all got to get older and too bad because nobody will ever beat his charisma and talents.

This movie really shows reality of different worlds and nationalities with hardships that come in families. The coming together when it is the right thing to do. My heart was moved by this caring old cranky veteran. Truly a wonderful movie to watch.

Had to watch this for a college paper once & was not too thrilled about having to watch it but ended up being such a great movie. I mean how can you go wrong with Clint Eastwood first of all? But second it had such a good plot!

Great film. Great acting.

solo por la escena en la cual se encuentra en el patio de su casa junto con su labradora retriever, ella tumbada y el sentado cogiendo y bebiendo cervezas que saca de una neverita que tiene al lado, poniendo esa cara como que se acaba de comer un limón, .... pago el doble por la película, pago el doble! genial la película, genial su interpretación, genial la banda sonora,... "¿Nunca os habeis cruzado con alguien a quien no deberíais haber puteado ?.. Ese soy yo", Gran Torino.

Non può mancare nella vidfeoteca domestica. Eastwood e Spielberg sono i più grandi registi viventi. Qui Eastwood inarrivabile.

Clint Eastwood does not avoid issues we may otherwise be wary of raising. However, the serious, underlying story has many humourous touches which help the viewer to cope with what he is asked to face up to. Another totally brilliant piece of work from Clint Eastwood. Thank you for not retiring yet Mr Eastwood !

ぽくは映画の序盤で集中力を切らすことがよくあるのですが、この作品は最初から引き込まれました。