Gran Torino

Today in International English we watched the movie Gran Torino. The movie is directed and produced by Clint Eastwood. It is an American drama film from 2008 with great reviews. Clint Eastwood plays the main character, Walt Kowalski, a widower and a Korean War veteran who is bitter, rude, depressed and cranky. His neighborhood has changed into a violent place mostly inhabited by immigrants called the Hmong people.

Walt is now fighting another war than he has been doing earlier, this time trying to keep his friends in the neighborhood safe from the gang violence.

In the beginning of the movie I get the impression that Walt is a cranky old man who hates everyone who gets in his way, even his own family and friends. Through a series of events Walt gets to know the Hmong family living next door to his house, and he develops a relationship to Sue and her brother Thao. Eventually Walt gets attached to this family and we get to know how he is behind the rude and bitter facade.

The movie addresses issues regarding cultural differences and the challenges arising from this, in addition to relationships between the young and old generation and how they show respect for each other. Like many other grown up people Walt has decided that there is no hope for the young generation because of lack of respect and manners for other human beings. His neighbors Sue and Thao prove him wrong about this statement.

Conflicts that arise in the beginning when Thao is pressured by the gang to steal Walt’s beloved Gran Torino, even though Thao wants nothing to do with these people. When failing his assignment Thao becomes their target. The gang members are determined to continue the harassment until Thao joins their gang. Which he doesn’t do. The turning point is when Sue and Thao’s house is the target for a drive by shooting and Sue is nowhere to be found. Later on she comes home beaten up and raped by the gang members. This is where everyone understands that someone needs to stop this gang before they hurt someone again and Thao is determined to do this. But Walt is also determined. Determined not to let Thao get near the gang members, and the other way around. Walt risks his own life to save everyone else from this gang. He had sought out the gang members and made sure witnesses were watching and that every single gang member had a gun pointed at him. They were all sure that he was reaching for a gun himself when he went for his jacket pocket after asking if anyone had light for his cigarette. All of the gang members fired their gun directly at Walt who was only reaching for light, without having a gun on him.

I would highly recommend this movie. It brings up themes that are relevant in today’s society in an emotional and powerful way.