Clint Eastwood's New 'Gran Torino' is Grand

Gran Torino is Clint Eastwood's new movie, and I have to admit, it is damn good.

It's a little movie, with no name actors for the most part, aside from Clint of course. The movie follows a grumpy old fellow named Walt. It opens with him at his wife's funeral and follows him home, he lives in a neighborhood in what I am guessing is Detroit. The area has turned all Asian and black -- Walt, the last holdout, is a victim of what is known as "white flight", which can change urban and suburban neighborhoods faster than a speeding bullet.

Walt is pissed, his sons don't like or appreciate him, his grandkids are spoiled little creeps, and no one seems to be at all sympathetic that he just lost his wife, luckily he has a dog. A retired Ford employee, his only other love is his 1972 Gran Torino which sits in his garage or his driveway, in fact I cannot recall seeing him drive it for the entire movie.

Clint Eastwood has grown into a hell of a character actor, he's been accused by other critics of playing the same character over and over, but he's an older guy, so naturally he is going to play an older guy. I personally did not see much of any resemblance to other older guys he has played in recent years. Old Walt is in a class by himself. He is bitter and painfully honest and politically incorrect as only a bitter, old, last white guy on the block, retired auto worker and Korean War vet could be. But Walt is not one dimensional, he also has a sharp sense of humor, which is presented in an understated way in the film, and I am sure some will miss it entirely. Some people who see this movie will feel Walt is over the top, and that he is caricaturish, but I felt it was extremely accurate, I myself have known a few just like him.

Walt gets entangled with the poor Asian family next door and it winds up changing his life and their lives in ways neither would have expected. It is heartwarming in many parts and made me laugh out loud which movies rarely do - even the ones that are supposed to be pure comedies. As I said before, there is definitely an understated comedic aspect to this film, and it was those laughs that allowed me to become even more drawn into the story.

Let me say here, this is not one of those horrific "Dramadies" though it is both funny and dramatic, it is an honest film, and life for all of us is both funny and dramatic.

Walt warms up to the teenage girl next door, and eventually and even more deeply with her brother who is having some fairly serious problems with a local gang. Walt being smarter and more caring than anyone would have given him credit for sees how dangerous this situation is for the young man and his family, and he decides he must take action to protect them.

The end is a heart wrencher, and I cried like a baby which I have not done since.... Geez, I cannot remember the last time I cried like that. I should add here the only thing I hate more than dramadies are "Lassie Cries", which are when movies like Lassie or Benji make me cry in a manipulated and contrived way, I end up with tears in my eyes, but I am furious about the trickery. This was genuine, not a Lassie cry.

I don't know if this movie will make it as an Oscar contender since some of the other acting performances were passable but not the greatest. Still it certainly wins a high honor from me, and I found it way better than that god awful boxing movie he did a few years back 'Million Dollar Baby' which I believe DID win and Oscar.