Gran Torino Review

Overall 4.52 of 5 view all 29 reviews

Meri
Upstate, NY

Clint Eastwood is back and in the House...

a movie lover

Pros

great performance by Eastwood, touching, emotional story

JAN

2009

My Viewpoint:
Gran Torino- movie featuring Clint Eastwood. Worth seeing.

When I was five I fell in love for the first time. He was quite a bit older and definitely much taller. His name was Clint Eastwood and he starred on a TV series called, "Rawhide." While he totally had me goo-goo eyed he also brought the first conflict into my life. You see, Rawhide was an hour-long show and my bedtime fell halfway between. My Mother would let me stand on a little stool to kiss him good-night before she tucked me into bed, but, what she didn't know was that with my head at the foot of the bed and if I squinted really hard I could still see the TV through the cracked door light. [I guess I have him to thank for needing glasses. LOL] Though other "loves" have come and gone, Clint Eastwood has retained a special corner of my heart. Did I mention he is a great actor? One of the best I'd say, so it was no big feat to talk me into going to see Gran Torino when it came out.

Even as enamored as I am with Clint Eastwood I was a bit unsure of the movie however as I don't make a habit of watching "R" rated movies. Reading online movie critic reviews, I braced for foul language and violence and wondered if I would regret having gone to see the show.

Gran Torino was nothing I expected it to be. Although Gran Torino is classic Eastwood I found the movie to be filled with emotion. Clint Eastwood plays the character of Walter "Walt" Kowalski, a recently divorced Korean War veteran trying to live with past demons, prejudices and a changing neighborhood. His grumpy old man exterior reflects his inner conflicts that will take the friendships of a Hmong girl next door and her little brother to soften.

Gran Torino will make you laugh, chuckle, think and in the end it will make you cry as Walt finds peace with God and himself as he defends his two friends and gives them a chance at the future.

Gran Torino was named for the vintage Ford Gran Torino automobile that Walt had bought in 1972 and still owned by him. The car is Walt's prized possession and coveted by just about everyone who sees it. Walt states that he actually helped put the car together back in the day when he worked at the Ford plant. In a sense, it is his baby and besides his dog the only thing that has not left him. He holds on to the car as tightly as he holds on to the past. The car becomes a central part of the movie as it symbolically shows Walt learning to let go.

This movie is destined to become a classic. At 78 years old, Clint Eastwood is back and in the house!

Last edited on Jan 20, 2009

Gran Torino is recommended by Meri

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Comments about Meri’s Review

My dad has just about every Clint Eastwood western movie on DVD and the "Dirty Harry" movies too. A couple of years ago, Hallmark would play "Rawhide" every weekend. They don't show it anymore, but I loved watching the reruns of "Rawhide". I think I've seen every Clint Eastwood movie. My favorite ones are the westerns. I would love to see "Gran Torino" when it comes onto DVD. I don't make it to the movie theater much. Great review! =) ~Krista Lynn