Movie Review: Gran Torino

How sad is it that the toughest guy in Hollywood is a 78 year old man? If you had any doubt that Clint Eastwood is The Man, then Gran Torino will immediately erase any such foolish doubts from your mind.

Gran Torino tells the story of an aging man who has passed his time and is forced to cope with a rapidly changing world. He can't relate to his greedy, uncaring family, an overzealous pastor, and a neighborhood that has transformed from old Americana and into a crime-ridden ghetto.

While he attempts to isolate himself and live out his final days in peace, he finds he is unable to as the world repeatedly intrudes on his life. Eventually, he is forced to confront his own racist and old-fashioned beliefs as he becomes more and more involved in the well-being of an immigrant family living next door.

Normally I'm not into these "self-discovery" types of films, but Gran Torino really sucked me into the characters and storyline. By the end of the story, you really feel connected with all of the main characters. It's very moving, and very relevant to the modern and changing face of America, where we have millions of baby boomers moving into retirement as a new and different generation of immigrant Americans is rising to power. The scenario is quite believable, and I imagine similar situations could actually be occuring across the country.

Go see this movie. It's very, very good, and you will not be dissapointed. Not to mention, this may very well be the last time you get to see Clint Eastwood action on the big screen.

SCORING: I give Gran Torino 4.5 Agent Smiths out of a possible 5.