The Film Thugs Movie Show

Jim here.

I finally watched Gran Torino, and it really was as good as everybody says it is.

Gran Torino is the story of a recently widowed Korean war vet/retired auto plant worker living in a rapidly changing area of Detroit. He is, to put it mildly, a bit "cantankerous."  His time is spent maintaining his house, drinking at the local lodge, and drinking beers on his front porch while he looks out and grumbles about how his neighborhood is changing.

It may seem odd that I would describe a character who gives a young Asian man advice like, "You're wrong, eggroll, I know exactly what I'm talking about. I may not be the most pleasant person to be around, but I got the best woman who was ever on this planet to marry me. I worked at it, it was the best thing ever happened to me. Hands down. But you, you know, you're letting Click-Clack, Ding-Dong and Charlie Chan just walk out with Miss What's-her-face. She likes you, you know? Though I don't know why! Nice girl... nice girl, very charming girl... I talked with her... yeah. But you, you just let her walk out right out with the Three Stooges. And you know why? 'Cause you're a big fat pussy. Well, I gotta go. Good day, pussycake," as not being racist, but I think it makes perfect sense.

How is it changing? Over the years a group of Hmong(Asian ethnic group from the mountainous regions of Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and Burma) families have moved in as all his old friends and neighbors have moved out and died. When one of his neighbors sons attempts to steal his mint condition 1972 Gran Torino (as a gang initiation) he takes it upon himself to help reform the kid (unwillingly at first).

At first it is easy to simply disregard Eastwood's character as a racist old man. But if you really look at him, he isn't. Yeah, he has some bigoted attitudes, but the only characters he shows any real affection towards are his Hmong neighbors. He thinks his priest is "an overeducated 27-year-old virgin who likes to hold the hands of superstitious old ladies and promise them everlasting life." He doesn't get along with his kids or grandchildren (more on this later). He likes the people he knows, and everyone else pisses him off.

Basically, he is a mean old man who doesn't suffer fools or tolerate bullshit for a second.

Why do I say he isn't racist? Well, he does have some racist tendencies, but he does too much for his Hmong neighbors to be dismissed that way. He puts himself at risk to help out the sister of the boy who tried to steal his car, he vouches for the boy to get him a job, he helps get him the tools he needs to get a job. In short, he becomes a father to the fatherless kids next door. Yeah, they are Hmong, but they are also his neighbors, and once he gets to know them he begins to care for them. They become like his children, except that their relationship is stronger than the one with his actual kids (more on this later).

He bonds individually with each of them. The daughter, Sue, is bold and basically forces friendship on him. He connects strongly with her because he sees a similar personality, a strength and stubbornness that he respects. The son, Thao, is forced to work for Walt (Eastwood) by his mother in order to make amends for trying to steal the car. During that week he becomes a more active member of his neighborhood and sees a good kid who just needs some guidance. It is strong and believable.

Now, on to his family. The first five minutes made me want to punch his entire family in the fucking jaw. I don't care how little you get along with your dad, you do not let your son wear  A FUCKING FOOTBALL JERSEY to your mothers funeral. You just don't! Also, don't let your daughter expose her midriff and text during the service, it's bad form. After the funeral, don't ask your grandfather to give you his "cool, retro" furniture or his car. It makes you look crass (I know you just buried your wife, but that couch would look sooooooo cute in my dorm room!), The relationship is strained, that's told but never shown. Yeah, Walt is a hard ass, but he was a hard ass to Thao and they became strong friends. He may have been an asshole, but at some point you have to get past that shit.

In this movie Eastwood does what Eastwood does best. He tells a moving story, has outstanding performances, and shows what has made him one of the best directors working in the past few decades.