I have always been a big fan of Clint Eastwood. Not only for his iconic movie characters, but more for his directing ability. He has a distinct way of directing which is refreshingly simple and straightforward. Rather than rely too much on special camera angles or swooping panoramic 360 views, Eastwood chooses to focus on the actors and let their emotions and actions dictate what is conveyed to the audience.
Grand Torino is the story of Korean war veteran Walt Kowalski who has recently lost his wife. Not only is Kowalski a bit of an outcast from the world around him, which has since changed and evolved since he’s been living in the neighborhood, he is also alienated from his own sons and their families. It doesn’t help matters that Kowalski is also a racist. To clarify, he is not a racist to the extent that he has malicious intentions towards other races, rather he believes stereotypes, both positive and negative, to be true and thus he treats other people and lives his life accordingly.
Kowalski’s neighbors are a Hmong family, whose two teenagers have become the targets of a local Hmong gang. When his neighbors are attacked, Eastwood inadvertently saves them from the gang while protecting his own house. As a result, the Hmong neighbors are grateful and begin to view him as a hero. While he initially spurns their friendship, Walt eventually breaks down and accepts them. Ironically, he eventually becomes closer to them than he could ever get with his own “biological” family. On the surface it sounds like your typical “grumpy old guy hates everyone then has a change of heart” storyline.