New on DVD: "Gran Torino"

To honor today's DVD release of Clint Eastwood's "Gran Torino," I'm reprinting my review from The HiLite...

“I finish things. That’s what I do,” Walt Kowalski, the belligerent codger at the center of “Gran Torino,” says threateningly. Clint Eastwood, the actor behind this character, is also finishing something: his amazing acting career. And with the fantastic “Gran Torino,” he ends it gracefully. Eastwood also goes behind the camera, taking newcomer Nick Schenk’s screenplay and truly making the story his own. He turns it into a study of the iconic character he has established over his nearly 60-year career. “Gran Torino” is not only about Walt, but also Dirty Harry, Josey Wales, William Munny–the list goes on. Naming this film after a classic car is fitting for it is a highly nostalgic tribute to Eastwood’s career. This celebration of his work is infused with effective self-referential humor as well as poignancy and relevance.

Walt, a widower and former autoworker, is a crotchety old man who watches obsessively over his property while drowning himself in booze and cussing out neighbors. He's embittered by the demise of the industry he used to work for as well as the demise of Detroit where he lives. By extension, he's embittered by the demise of America as he sees it-- the decline of heavy industry, the decline of cities, the decline of patriotism, increase in immigrants from "Third World" counties, etc. Eastwood portrays a certain American stereotype, a nativist who is prejudiced against and suspicious of foreigners and who champions “buy American.” Walt calls his own son unpatriotic for driving a Japanese car. Here, to much success, Eastwood pokes fun at the mindset of his legendary Dirty Harry character, the infamously prejudicial screen cop. With Walt’s every snigger, Eastwood telegraphs a wink to the audience: Walt’s values, Eastwood implies, are not his own. In this sense, Eastwood is similar to TV personality Stephen Colbert in mocking the ultra-conservative attitude. Also like Colbert, he has powerful comic presence. However, the film takes a serious turn when Walt surprisingly befriends a Hmong boy named Thao and attempts to protect him from a ruthless gang.

Walt shows a sensitive side in his relationship with Thao that mirrors Eastwood’s own sensitivity. In telling the touching story of this strong, interracial friendship, Eastwood tries to convey that he is nothing like the violent, corrupt, racist roles he’s played in the past. In fact, all of his more recent directing efforts seem to deliberately stand against the behavior of those famous characters. Particularly in his revisionist western, “Unforgiven,” Eastwood plays against type as William Munny. Instead of portraying him as a cold-blooded gunslinger like in his earlier westerns, he creates a sympathetic, compassionate figure. For example, after shooting a man, Munny demands that the man be given water after noticing that he suffers from dehydration while dying. Eastwood conveys genuine concern and sorrow over the man’s pain. Another directorial effort, “Mystic River” also stands against violent behavior. Sean Penn’s character in the film is actually punished for his uncontrolled rage unlike Dirty Harry. “Gran Torino” is the most obvious of these films in highlighting Eastwood’s values. It is arguably his most personal and, therefore, most affecting piece of acting and direction.

In terms of relevance to 2008 films, “Gran Torino” joins “Iron Man” and “The Wrestler” in presenting a central character that mirrors the actor playing him. In “Iron Man,” Tony Stark’s transition from irresponsible playboy to ethically strong man resembles Robert Downey, Jr.’s transformation from wild, druggie celebrity to serious, respectable actor. Similarly, “The Wrestler” is not only about fictional, washed-up wrestler Randy Robinson, but the similarly battered actor playing him, Mickey Rourke. These performances are especially powerful precisely because of their self-reflective quality that allows filmgoers to see through the character and into the actor’s soul.

“Gran Torino” is speculated to be Eastwood’s last performance. The film community will undoubtedly be saddened if this is true. However, people couldn’t ask for a more perfect, beautiful swan song.