Get Off MovieQuest's Lawn!

Clint Eastwood is a master.  Apart from his great acting in films such as The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly and Dirty Harry, his directing efforts have been, in my opinion, even more fantastic. His great direction is showcased in films such as Mystic River, Million Dollar Baby, Flags of Our Fathers, Letters From Iwo Jima, and, from earlier this year, Changeling.  I loved Changeling, and it was a gripping and emotional filmgoing experience.  However, I think this film is even more masterful.

The film begins with Clint Eastwood as Walt Kowalski at his wife's funeral, extremely perturbed about the behavior of his grandchildren.  He growls, and then he growls, and then he goes home, drinks a beer, growls, says a racial slur, etc.  In anyone else's hands this movie would have become tedious after 15 minutes.

But it's not.

It's in Clint Eastwood's hands.

Walt Kowalski's treasured 1972 Ford Gran Torino is almost stolen by Thao, the next door neighbor who did so because of peer pressure by his cousins, who belong to a very, very violent gang.  Thao is, of course, caught by Walt.  Walt threatens to kill him, and Thao runs away. Afterward, the gang starts to beat up Thao, almost killing him, but they do so on Walt's lawn, and Walt wants them to get off of his lawn.  What is the line he uses to get them off?  Take a guess.

Anyway, after that, Thao's family is happy that Walt saved him and they make Thao do jobs for Walt, and they end up bonding.

There are countless memorable scenes in this movie, and a ton of great performances. Surprisingly, the film is hilarious at a lot of times.

One of my favorite scenes is a scene in which Walt takes Thao to a barber shop to teach him how to talk like a man.  The barber, Martin, is played by John Carroll Lynch, who played Norm in Fargo!

The ending is a great change of pace, and you don't see it coming.  I would also like to add that the theme song (sung by jazz singer Jamie Cullum and Eastwood himself) is fantastic and should win the Oscar for Best Original Song (even though I love Bruce Springsteen's song for the Wrestler).

I really loved this film, and it is one of the best of the year.  It will definitely get a spot on my top ten of the year.

Gran Torino - 4 out of 4

-Ben