Gran Torino

There are a few actors out there that get to a point in their career where you can just trust that what ever they make will be worth watching.  Clint Eastwood has been in that zone for a while now.  Either directing or acting or both.  Of course there is the occasional doozy.  All the greats have them.  Eastwood did The Rookie.
DeNiro did Rocky & Bullwinkle.
Dane Cook did Employee of the Month

In the Eastwood directed Gran Torino, Clint stars as Korean War vet Walt Kowalski.  He is a man set in his ways, good or bad.  He has problems with everybody.  His sons, his grand kids, his wife’s priest, his neighbors.  His neighbors are mostly Hmong and he ain’t happy about it.  He has a derogatory name for every ethnic group.  He’s pretty racist.  Sidebar:  I can’t say the word racist without saying it like Ricky Gervais’ character, David Brent, from the original UK version of  The Office.  In this politically correct (some say sensitive) time, it’s refreshing to see a flawed character like Walt.  He’s like a taller, tougher Archie Bunker.  No George and Weezy in this one, unfortunately.

I’ve always liked Clint Eastwood.  I remember when I was  7 or 8, I saw Every Which Way But Loose.  My mom and step-dad weren’t the most attentive in the whole “Should a 7 year old be watching this?” department.  I loved it!  There was Bikers and fisticuffs and an orangutan named Clyde.  In the biker scenes the bikers drink Wild Turkey.  So my step-dad thought it wise to join in kind.  “Boy, get me my Wild Turkey!” he’d gently request.  So, I’d go pour him a drink quick as Tom Cruise in Kokomo so I didn’t miss the funny fight scenes.  Oh, the memories.

Back to Gran Torino!  What could have been a pretty predictable story was actually pretty funny and moving.  Eastwood is the  Grumpiest Old Man and you really feel for him and his poor neighbors.   Tôi đã không ghét nó!
What?  You don’t speak Vietnamese?