Monday, June 29, 2009

Gran Torino

This was the last movie from Clint Eastwood, who both directed and starred in this entertaining story about a grouchy Korean War vet, Walt Kowalski, whose prejudices are tested when he forms an unlikely friendship with a young Hmong teenager, Thao, who tries to steal his car, a mint Gran Torino, as part of a gang initiation.

Clint is at his Dirty Harry best, all steely-eyed stares and grunts and growls, while still deftly portraying the character's tender vulnerabilities caused by the inner demons he still carries with him since the war. The movie convincingly portrays the relationship between these two strangers, with nothing in common, who come together and help each other find peace, purpose and redemption.

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie from beginning to end. The movie starts off a little slow in the action department, but the substance is there from the onset. It's not the best Clint Eastwood movie, but its definitely worth seeing.