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Not a lot of things are funnier than old people swearing – especially if the old person is Clint Eastwood. “Gran Torino” shows a side of Eastwood that nobody expects to see at his age, and it’s a treat.
Eastwood plays grizzled Korean War veteran Walt Kowalski. He is a straight shooter – racial and ethnic slurs, sexist remarks and obscenities abound with Kowalski, whose dialogue makes the kids from “Superbad” sound like priests. Speaking of priests, Kowalski has a whole other slew of insults for all religions.
But the beauty of the film lies behind the mask of this disgruntled old timer. Kowalski deals with all sorts of issues, from the death of his wife to his poor relationship with the rest of his family. He’s lonely. He’s angry about the war, at his family and at God.
A Hmong family moves in next door to Kowalski. He soon forms a relationship with two of the teenagers, Tao and Sue. He cares about them and protects them from gangs. Their relationships grow and lead to self-sacrifice and love. Kowalski finds the peace and meaning in his life he’s been searching for all along.
“Gran Torino” is fundamentally a character study. Eastwood perfectly plays the part, acting with a gruff exterior, yet subtle internal pain and torment. It’s pure acting by Eastwood, and yes, at 78, he still kicks ass. All the Hmong are played by firs-time actors, hand-picked by Eastwood. Their acting is shaky, but it’s not a big deal. Eastwood is perfect.
The film itself is hilarious. The bold language used often poses the question, “Holy crap, did Clint Eastwood really just say that?” It’s uproarious at times, but is in no way a comedy. “Torino” focuses on all emotions and has valuable lessons on violence, relationships and race.
Prior to release, Eastwood announced “Gran Torino” would mark his final film as an actor. He will still direct, but this is the last time Eastwood will be on the big screen. His performance is gripping, emotional and multi-dimensional – the best way to end a nearly flawless acting career.
Unfortunately, the Academy Awards felt otherwise; he was not nominated for his performance. Eastwood has never won an Academy Award for his acting abilities, and that is truly a shame. The Academy aside, “Gran Torino” will go down as one of his best works, and we’re lucky to have it.
Grade: A
Bangor Daily News