[Walt Kowalski is a widower who holds onto his prejudices despite the changes in his Michigan neighborhood and the world around him. Kowalski is a grumpy, tough-minded, unhappy an old man, who can't get along with either his kids or his neighbors, a Korean War veteran whose prize possession is a 1972 Gran Torino he keeps in mint condition. When his neighbor Thao, a young Hmong teenager under pressure from his gang member cousin, tries to steal his Gran Torino, Kowalski sets out to reform the youth. Drawn against his will into the life of Thao's family, Kowalski is soon taking steps to protect them from the gangs that infest their neighborhood]
It's due for release around Feb 20th over here, and I just read the write-up in Empire magazine. There's also some mixed reviews around on the web, including this thought provoking response:
This movie is the best expose at what's wrong with today's generation
After watching this movie I realized what the hell is wrong with our generation. Let's list them. I'll start.
1. Nobody has any respect for anyone else. We make fun of them instead of offering a helping hand. (i.e. the kids teasing the old woman who drops her groceries)
2. Nobody knows how to fix things with tools. We would sooner take our car to a shop just to get the damn oil changed. Nobody knows how to do it themselves anymore!
3. Nobody knows how to stand up for themselves and what's right, they'd rather give in to peer pressure. (i.e. the kid trying to steal the Gran Torino)
4. Nobody has good taste in cars anymore, most people would prefer riceburners with giant spoilers to muscle cars. What the hell!? My friend just told me he thinks the Toyota Supra looks better than a Pontiac Trans-Am! (The gangbangers with their giant spoiler)
5. Everyone is too uptight about being politically correct they don't know how to just relax and have a good time. Making a "racist" joke does not necessarily make you racist! (Clint Eastwood makes racist jokes but in the end he becomes good friends with the Hmong family, and is also good friends with his Italian barber and the Irish construction manager)
6. Everyone is dependent on other people to solve their problems for them. We'd rather call the police than have the balls to defend our own home. We need to go to church and confess our sins so that a priest can tell us we are still okay. We call the mechanic to fix our car or the plumber to fix our toilet instead of doing it ourselves. (The kid doesn't even know what any of the tools in Clint Eastwood's garage are!)
7. Nobody knows how to talk like men anymore. I never witness a conversation anymore like the one that takes place between Clint Eastwood and the barber. Most people would be offended by such harmless banter.
There is magic in long-distance friendships. They let you relate to other human beings in a way that goes beyond being physically together and is often more profound.
~Diana Cortes
Elen - yes i have seen it and liked it a great deal. Go see it and we will discuss it here if you like. And they filmed it not to far from where I live. Just across town really about one hour away. There were lots of stories in the local media about Eastwood and everybody just loved him. Lots and lots of stories about his kindness to people he would come across in restaurants and other places.
There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old's life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs.... John Rogers
I saw the trailer and thought it looked like a good view. I'll let you know what I think of the whole film later!
There is magic in long-distance friendships. They let you relate to other human beings in a way that goes beyond being physically together and is often more profound.
~Diana Cortes
SF - unfortunately the nearest cinema showing GT to me is 60 miles away, so I guess unless it is shown more locally later, I'll have to wait comes out on DVD!
Too bad
There is magic in long-distance friendships. They let you relate to other human beings in a way that goes beyond being physically together and is often more profound.
~Diana Cortes
There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old's life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs.... John Rogers
Just bumping this thread to say I finally watched this movie last night! (only 18 months later!!!)
I think the review I posted in my opening post just about hit the nail on the head with the list of things you take away from the movie to think about...
Eastwood did an amazing job as Kowalski...he gave true resonance to his character, and the story was filled with gentle humour and heartbreaking pathos.
It is an overdue morality tale for our times.
There is magic in long-distance friendships. They let you relate to other human beings in a way that goes beyond being physically together and is often more profound.
~Diana Cortes
One of the genius things Eastwood did (or a writer) was to name the lead character Walt Kowalski. Here in the Detroit area that made sure that at least two to three hundred men with the same name would see the pic. They filmed most of it on the far east side of town and there are still several Polish enclaves there. I say this half in jest but still half seriously.
btw - a year ago my wife and I had dinner at his Mission Ranch restaurant in Carmel and watched the sheep graze while we ate a terrific prime rib dinner. I asked the waitress if he comes in now and then and she said when he is in town he drops in quite a bit. I asked her if he works the room talking to patrons and she said he never does that. He simply walks in, goes to the bar in the back area, has one glass of wine and then leaves. She said on really rare occasions when the place is nearly empty and ready to close he might sit down at the piano and play something.
There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old's life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs.... John Rogers
