Gran Torino review: Clint Eastwood orchestrates an entertainment masterpiece

When an established actor directs and stars in their own film, it’s sometimes the final symbol of decadence as they move, kicking and screaming, towards total irrelevance. Fortunately, this is not the case with Gran Torino, a film so deliciously entertaining that it rivals much of the brilliance of actor come-director-come-producer Clint Eastwood’s legendary past work.
 
Over the course of a career lasting more than 50 years, Eastwood has become a world famous macho symbol, but in Gran Torino he plays a man falling apart. Far from the iconic heroes and villains Eastwood portrayed in countless westerns, Walt Kowalski is an unpleasant alcoholic Korean War veteran with a bitter hatred for his Hmong community in his neighbourhood. As the film progresses however, Walt begins to see the error of his far-right views and befriends his young neighbour Thao and his family.
 
While it might sound like the classic redemption cliché, the film takes several dark turns and explores themes of intolerance and gang culture. Eastwood is superb as the grizzled Walt; his experience obvious as her swears and spits his way through every scene. That said, his direction seems someway self-obsessed, devoting most screen time to himself with few moments where he does not appear. The supporting cast is excellent, with Bee Vang playing a convincing Thao and Christopher Carley as the woefully underused priest Father Janovich who attempts to help Walt after the death of his beloved wife. This script is also sharp and crisp, merging tension and suppressed violence with flashes of wit perfectly conveyed by the cast.
 
Eastwood’s direction and the superb script make Walt’s redemption convincing through subtle changes in his character over the course of the film including language and facial expressions, and we again see the impressive wealth of Eastwood’s experience as he creates a believable and perversely likeable character. Indeed, Eastwood’s appearance makes the film, it’s difficult to imagine anyone else playing Walt.
 
Gran Torino is a wonderfully entertaining film, but its flashes of feeling make it an even better picture. It’s but no means perfect; you can complain of Eastwood’s overbearing direction and the occasional cliché; but even so it’s a funny and touching movie well worth its place in Eastwood’s catalogue.
 
8/10