Movie Break – “Gran Torino”
If you liked Clint Eastwood as “Dirty Harry”….
you’ll love him as Walt Kowalski.
Eastwood may be 78 years old, but in “Gran Torino,” my last screening before the Santa Barbara Film Festival kicks off on January 22nd, he’s every bit as menacing when he says, “Get off my lawn,” as he was years ago when he said, “Make my day.”
He plays a retired auto worker and Korean war vet, who’s enraged by the changing ethnicity of his Detroit neighborhood. An equal opportunity bigot, he rages at everyone but especially at the Hmong immigrants who live next door.
I admit I’m a fan of nearly every movie Eastwood has directed and/or starred in – “Mystic River,” “Unforgiven,” “Million Dollar Baby,” to name a few – but “Gran Torino” took me completely by surprise. How it manages to be both very funny and extremely poignant is a miracle. I laughed out loud so many times, even as I shed some tears at the end. No special effects. No car chases. Just a simply told tale of a man trying to adjust to life in post-war America. I’m putting “Gran Torino” near the top of my list for 2008.
But don’t take my word for it. Go see the movie when it opens nationwide on January 9th.
Here’s the trailer.
Confessions of a She-Fan 
Thanks for the heads up Jane! My husband is a big Clint fan so it will make a nice date night.
Julia
http://werbiefitz.mlblogs.com/
Your husband will love it, Julia. Clint is in full vigilante mode.
I can’t wait! I got chills just watching the trailer. I am always impressed with how Eastwood manages to stay relevant and GOOD. So many Hollywood folk have a hard time doing that.
–Jeff
http://redstatebluestate.mlblogs.com/
That’s what struck me about this movie, Jeff. It came out on the very day the automakers went to Congress. Somehow, Clint knows. His character is sort of a cartoon, but it all works.
That’s looks like the Man Without a Name, not Dirty Harry. 😉
I’m looking forward to this. Clint Eastwood can do know wrong by me.
Greg
Red Sox Ramblings: http://thevendahhh.mlblogs.com
You’re probably right, Greg. I just grabbed a pic where Clint’s got guns and looks Dirty Harry-ish!
She-Fan,
Which Clint movie best epitomizes the Yankees’ 2008 performance?
The Unforgiven.
Million Dollar Baby.
The Dead Pool.
The Beguiled.
or my fave: Two Mules for Sister Sarah.
It’s a philosophical question. There is no answer.
el duque
I feel compelled to answer anyway, duque. The answer is The Dead Pool. Sadly.
This actually looks like a pretty decent film. Def. worth a rental.
Definitely worth a rental – just to hear Clint go, “Get off my lawn.”
Looks like a good one. I’m not a big Clint Eastwood fan but I may have to rent this one when it comes out.
http://hardballblog.mlblogs.com/
Not a Clint fan, hardball? Well, he sure plays hardball in this movie. You could change your mind.
Definitely worth a rental – just to hear Clint go, “Get off my lawn.”
I lol’d
Sorry Jane, Clint is a little before my time as he is 60 years my senior. I’m open to checking this movie out though.
http://hardballblog.mlblogs.com/
Clint is definitely before your time, hardball. He’s been around so long I remember him from his TV cowboy days. Which means I’m old too. Sigh.