Gran Torino by Clint Eastwood

Clint Eastwood made this film, and is the main actor...
The part he plays was written by himself for himself... And it's clear that he enjoyed doing it!

Walt is an old man, living in Michigan, where there used to be great factories like Ford, who made everybody work and live under their protection.. But now, more and more houses are empty or not looked after, and the Lutheran organisations fill them with Hmongs, who had first helped the French, then the Americans in Vietnam and are now obliged to leave their country, if they don't want to be extermined...

So, the suburb that was once the pride of Ford workers are no longer what it used to be.
Walt refuses to leave his house after the death of his wife, and plays the part of the grumpy old man, racist and untolerant.
But he gets to be better acquainted with the family of Hmongs next door, and becomes a sort of father to the two teenagers, a boy and a girl, who live there.

He reveals himself, little by little, and the racist he pretended to be at the beginning isn't a racist at all.
In fact, all the insults against the other communities came as a sort of joke or defence...

Some scenes are hilarious, like the scene of his birthday... some are dramatic and deeply moving.

This film is extremely classical, but it dives into a lot of questions we can ask ourselves in the times we're living in. What is religion? ( the part of the catholic priest is extremely interesting) What is love? ( and how can you find yourself another family than yours) What is a hero?

Why could different communities live together and integrate the American Way of Life, in former years ( none of his friends are pure Wasps) whenas the new generations can't, and create gangs to survive...

A very good film.

Comments

[nath]

De touts façons, as-tu déjà vu un mauvais film d'Eastwood? J'espère pouvoir le voir, même en VF.