Review of Gran Torino

The blue sky beckoned but I chose the darkened theatre for a matinee showing of Gran Torino with Clint Eastwood. I wasn't sure what to expect except Clint in a real guy role. In this movie he was the tough guy in the purest of forms. I was in a movie room full of lady Seniors, who must also enjoy real guys. Clint would snarl and you knew he was all business. His family in the movie was all wrapped up in their own little world. Clint didn't quite fit into their world. The movie opens at a funeral of his wife and the meal afterwards at his home with all his selfish kids and grandkids. He wanted them to go home and leave him alone. They were all too ready to leave after the funeral. Clint discovers at the funeral his next door neighbors, a Korean family that had moved in with a grandmother he couldn't stand and Tao the boy who couldn't defend himself. Clint nicknamed Tao "Toad." Toad's sister, Sue, won Clint's loyalty after he saved her from a black gang. Sue got Clint to come next door for a barbecue and learn to like Korean food. After Clint saved Tao from a Korean gang which involved Tao's cousin everyone Asian in the community brought gifts to his door. Flowers, chicken and otherAsian cooked meals piled up to be tossed out. The second time they came after he saved Sue and used Tao to fix the neighbor's houses, Clint let the local Koreans bring food into his kitchen. The Korean gang ended Tao's job in construction which Clint had helped him get. They also took advantage of Sue. This got Clint to take action. He locked Tao in his basement to protect him. He called Sue to let Tao out. He gave his dog to the Grandmother next door. He went to the gang's house to have a showdown. The gang all had machine guns and Clint only had a lighter which he pulled out to light his cigarette. The gang shot Clint and he fell on the ground and died with blood dripping from his arm where he let go of his lighter. The police came and captured all the Korean gang and the funeral was held where Sue dressed up in a traditional Korean outfit to honor Clint whom she called Wally. At the reading of the will, Tao got his prize Gran Torino which he had tried to steal earlier. Wally(Clint) didn't want his family to inherit anything from him. The house was donated to the Catholic church. The next scene was Tao driving the Gran Torino with Clint[s dog riding in the passenger's seat. The end song Gran Torino was sung by Clint, clinching the mad events. He has a good voice for a night club act. All this wild mess was saved by Clint's character - tough and predictably heroic. It was actually worth the money to go see.