How on earth did The Academy fail to garnish this wonderful, old-school drama with a brace of nominations? The fools. Gran Torino, allegedly Clint Eastwood’s swansong as an actor, combines the clout of Million Dollar Baby, a post-Obama sensibility and a grand summation of everything the Hollywood legend has ever done.
Like many of the characters Eastwood has played during his six decades in the business, Walt Kowalski is a growling, monosyllabic malcontent with an awesome capacity for killer put-downs. As the film opens, he has just buried his wife and is busy pouring scorn on the vagaries of modern life. Already riled by the sight of his granddaughter text messaging through the funeral and the meddling intentions of his son and the local priest, he is horrified to discover that a Hmong family have moved in next door. The Hmong may have sided with America in Vietnam but for Walt they’re no different to the “jabbering gooks” he killed in Korea. The chances of borrowing a cup of sugar seem remote.
Everything changes when Walt’s young neighbour Thao (Bee Vang), is recruited by a gangbanger cousin to steal the old man’s prize possession, a 1972 Gran Torino. Does Clint get Dirty Harry on his ass? You bet he does. But in the aftermath, the pair form an unlikely bond. As Walt’s icy exterior melts and paternal feelings kick in, he begins to think the unthinkable. “I got more in common with these gooks than I do with my own goddamn family,” he mutters incredulously.
Unhappily, our hero’s efforts to protect Thao and gregarious sister Sue (Ahney Her), bring Walt into conflict with local gangs. As tensions escalate, the ageing gunslinger gears up for one last stand.
Superficially, Gran Torino is less weighty than Clint’s previous movie, The Changeling. But this poignant, tremendously entertaining film is how we’ll likely remember him. We were not worthy, Mr. Eastwood.