"Gran Torino" mixes a cross-cultural, cross-generational fable with a coming-of-age story and an end of life lesson in tolerance and sacrifice. Clint Eastwood plays Walt Kowalski, a retired, irascible Korean vet who sets out to reform his Hmong neighbor (Bee Vang) who tried to steal his prize 1972 Gran Torino, the model Walt spent many years building at the local auto plant. Walt is drawn into the Hmong world despite himself, and helps Thao and his sister (Ahney Her) combat the gangs that infest their world. Hmong play Hmong in this movie, and the locations are authentic present day Michigan. Eastwood, who also directed, does not flinch from the rough language (hence the R rating) and unvarnished scenes of gang intimidation from Nick Schenk's script. It's a good effort, and well worth seeing, and not just because you can see a story about someone over seventy and learn something about the Hmong.
Rated R. 116 minutes. Clint Eastwood - Director / Producer, Nick Schenk - Writer (screenplay) (story), Dave Johannson - Writer (story), Bill Gerber - Producer, Robert Lorenz - Producer, Tom Stern - Cinematographer, Kyle Eastwood - Composer, Michael Stevens - Composer, James J. Murakami - Production Designer, Joel Cox - Editor, Gary D. Roach - Editor.
Principal actors: Clint Eastwood, Bee Vang, Ahney Her, and Christopher Carley.
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