Gran Torino

[Kal]

I agree with Stefen because I was laughing my ass off until 3/4 of the movie. If this wasn't funny it would have been impossible to watch, but Clint Eastwood is the man and his expression of disgust throughout the movie is just too good. I remembered of Karate Kid as well, but of course with no Karate and with a kid that was even more of a pussy than Daniel San. I was hoping there would be a bit of action involving the Gran Torino, but the stupid car is just sitting there the whole movie. Oh well.

[Alexandro]

I think the transition the film makes from being a comedy to a drama is accomplished smoothly, and only some master like Eastwood can do it. It also takes a master to take this kind of cliched predictable material and make it work like he does here. And acting in it too.

I found the acting to be OK. Eastwood of course is great, and the rest is just OK. I think that if people in the audience laughs when Thao screams at Eastwood near the end is not because of bad acting but because of good acting. He seems awkward just the way a guy like that would seem awkward yelling like that, probably for the first time in his life. I felt that worked.

I think is not unexpected that the big audience found this fantastic and made this a hit. I mean this thing just works like a clock and it has absolutely not one element of rebellion or artsy stuff to be a downer for the average joe. It's not ambitious at all and that's the charm of it. I mean The Changelling is an ambitious film and Eastwood shows there what he's capable of in those terms. Gran Torino is meant to be a sentimental old hollywoood entertaining Clint Eastwood vehicle, a swan song to the guy and all. However, it is true that for us cinephiles the real meat of the film is the exploration Eastwood makes of his own screen persona, his way of making it evolve through the years and his way of "ending it" with this particular story and in this particular way. GT summed it up pretty well basically.

Personally I'm just amazed at the way Clint keeps hitting great movies out of the park year after year at such an old age, he just gets better and better. It was a sweet, funny and ultimately moving film.

[Stefen]

Good review.

You didn't find it unintentionally hilarious? That's the way I saw it. The parts that were supposed to not be funny, I found funny. I mean, those gangbangers are so non-threatening that it's hard to be intimidated by them.

[Alexandro]

Good review.

You didn't find it unintentionally hilarious? That's the way I saw it. The parts that were supposed to not be funny, I found funny. I mean, those gangbangers are so non-threatening that it's hard to be intimidated by them.

I think you are supposed to see the gangbangers as Walt Kowalski sees them, which is as ridiculous and non threatening, until of course, they do something that changes that perception and become a real danger, and even then he seems to think they're still just a bunch of pussies with guns...

[SiliasRuby]

Good review.

You didn't find it unintentionally hilarious? That's the way I saw it. The parts that were supposed to not be funny, I found funny. I mean, those gangbangers are so non-threatening that it's hard to be intimidated by them.

I think you are supposed to see the gangbangers as Walt Kowalski sees them, which is as ridiculous and non threatening, until of course, they do something that changes that perception and become a real danger, and even then he seems to think they're still just a bunch of pussies with guns...

That's how I saw them. I recently saw this today. If anyone else have played Walt I think he would have probably be turned into a characterichure (damn my spelling), but with Clint you didn't completely hate him in the beginning. There was a progression that felt natural and honest unlike other films of this particular ilk.

[OrHowILearnedTo]

I recently saw this today.

[SiliasRuby]

I recently saw this today.

Yeah, I know. I'm making plenty of sense.

[Gamblour.]

Curmudgeon as anti-hero-hero. This was a brilliant, brilliant film. Very sympathetic and well-made. Made me feel like less of a man.

[Stefen]

Made me feel like less of a man.

Feel good comedy of the year.

[Gamblour.]

Haha, well my manhood is a genuine barrel of laughs. Take that as you will.