Gran Torino

Recently I was talking with a coworker about movies, specifically Clint Eastwood's new film Gran Torino, when he broke off into a seemingly unrelated story.

He went on to tell me about his two high school classmates who somehow made it into the porn industry, starting careers as producers. One turned out normal still, but of course one predictably went down the path of the stereotypical drug addicted crazy person who may or may not have put a hit out on his wife. So like most people involved with porn.

Anyways, they told him about how apparently whenever a new one of their movies came out, they would always send a special package to Carmel, Califorina to Clint Eastwood. You know...filled with porn. Apparently old Clint loves porn, and they were the right guys to hook him up with that.

I thought that story was hilarious, and also awesome because it sort of humanizes Clint even more. I already think the guy is fantastic, but the fact he just seems like a normal guy, or at this point, a normal old man, makes him far more endearing than comparable actors.

That's why Gran Torino works so well to a degree. Clint's performance in this movie is a great one, really giving it his all as a man with a lot of hate in him, for the way things are, for the way things were going away, for the deteriorating neighborhood around him, for other cultures, for gangs, for his family, for everything. The realistic portrayal of a man trying to make life better for those around him is really a great one, and part of a great overall movie.

While some of the supporting performances range from mediocre to terrible (you couldn't cast the role of the young pastor better?), it doesn't really matter. This movie is Clint doing Clint, and as well as he can at that. Spouting racial epithets, beating up gang members, helping a young Hmong kid. It's all awesome, and if you enjoy Clint, you'll enjoy this movie. Surprisingly fantastic.

Just like his porn collection.

Gran Torino: A-