A couple of fairly short reviews today...Clint Eastwood's latest directing effort is another small, understated story, much in the same vein as his Oscar-winning Million Dollar Baby. The plot revolves around an aging, bitter Korean war veteran who catches his young Hmong neighbour attempting to steal his prized Ford Gran Torino, and then gradually befriends both the boy and his family. Inevitably things become more complicated when the family start suffering at the hands of a local Asian gang...
A lot of critics were surprised that Gran Torino wasn't in contention for any Oscars, but ultimately I don't think it was that good. I did enjoy it for the most part, even if the film's pacing is very relaxed and the plot quite clichéd. Clint (in what he claims will be his last acting performance) does over-do the whole angry-growling thing and the actor who plays the young neighbour is frankly awful. Much of the film is surprisingly funny, although it does develop into a much more serious drama towards the end, and I will admit that I did feel for the characters to a certain extent. Ultimately though this is very much a case of "good, not great". And who in God's name thought it was a good idea for Clint to sing over the end credits? I've never been so embarrassed in a movie theatre.
VERDICT: Good but not worth rushing out to see.
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