Do you feel Lucky? (Gran Torino (DVD))

Member Name: Stripery77

Product:	Gran Torino (DVD)
Date:	08/07/09 (10 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: You'll enjoy it

Disadvantages: It's pretty dark

My husband saw the trailer for Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino and said it looked pretty good. Now I'll watch practically anything but he has to be interested before he'll try a film and he usually picks a good one. We borrowed this from Blockbuster on our usual 4 films for 4 nights for £10. It's on general release to buy for approx £12.99.

What was I expecting? Well with a title like Gran Torino and the only other prior knowledge being that this film included gang war issues, I was expecting gangsters and bullets, fast cars and a Dirty Harry kind of plot. What did I get. This film ended up being so far from my slightly dull expectations that I have to admit it was utterly mesmerising.

What's it all about....

Eastwood plays Walt Kowlaski a grumpy Korean War Veteran who's widowed and simply wants to be left alone. His neighbourhood is filled with immigrants, increasingly from South East Asia to which he harbours some very deep resentments. His own family drive him completely spare and his only comfort comes from his pet dog. The local priest, who had spent time with Walt's wife before she died had promised to keep and eye on him for her. The priest does try to do this and despite strong resistance he persists and plays a key role in his community.

Walt's immediate neighbours are a fatherless Chinese family - a grandmother, mother, sister and brother. There's no love lost between Walt and the "gooks" he calls them. The brother (tao) is being watched by his cousin's gang who wish to recruit him completely against his will. Tao's initiation task is to steal Walt's Gran Torino. Naturally, being that it's ultimately Clint Eastwoods car - the boy stands no hope!

What follows is a rite of passage, similar in ways to Million Dollar Baby but with a greatly differing conclusion. Walt is forced to face his demons as far as his prejudices are concerned. Tao and his sister challenge him in so many ways and it becomes a warm and fascinating story that ends with a twist I didn't expect but was happy with.

So what did I think?.....

The entire film has some very heavy overtones, captured in the way the film was darkly shot and in the sombre characterisations. The actors involved are completely believable it was never in question, I was totally drawn into the story. Nobody does brooding misery quite like Clint Eastwood and what I love the most about him is that underneath it all, he always shows his soft side, It's brilliant entertainment.

The story is not an easy one, as Eastwood doesn't shy away from controversy. The story is on the one hand all about the car, manhood, muscle power and status and on the other hand the car is totally meaningless. Eastwood tackles gang issues, immigration, prejudice and family issues head on and just as they are, part of our everyday life. The film highlights the coping mechanisms we all develop to help us with the horrors of day to day reality.

The details...

Certificate 15
Run Time 112 minutes
Directed by and starring Clint Eastwood

Conclusions....

Yes, like Million Dollar Baby I think this is a must-see film. It won't make you happy but it does make you think and I liked it. Clint Eastwood doesn't get better with age, for me he's always been brilliant. He's possibly not as sexy now as he used to be but nobody does badass quite like him and that's good enough. It's rough, gritty, warming and human. Something significant has been captured here and I totally recommend it.

Summary: Gritty, Intense and Excellent