Movie Review: Grand Torino

I realize I'm a little late since this movie came out in 2008 but maybe some of you are like me and wait for it to not be "very long wait" on Netflicks. The movie follows Walt Kowalski right after his wife dies. He lives in a changing neighborhood that is beginning to see the effects of gang violence. Kowalski shouldn't be likable - he's racist, he's a grouch, he doesn't care what other people think - but I found myself laughing at him, never taking him as serious as he wanted to be taken. He reminded me of those people that say things to get a reaction but they are never as mean as they make out to be. I think he's lonely, upset that his life has changed (his wife died, his neighborhood isn't the same place it was 20 years ago, etc). His kids and grandchildren, who I guess you should sympathize with since he's so mean to them - come across as spoiled and self-centered. You want to give Kowalski a free pass to hate them since they don't go out of their way to like him. For example, the day his wife dies, his granddaughter (who is dressed like a slut) asks for his car and sofa. On his birthday, his son and daughter-in-law talk to him about moving into a retirement village. It's like his whole family lost a sensitivity gene.

His next door neighbors are Hmong and Walt wants nothing to do with them. The son Thao under pressure from a gang tries to steal Walt's much-loved Grand Torino. Soon Walt is sucked into their lives and is an unlikely mentor and friend to Thao and his sister, Sue.

If you haven't seen this movie you need to. It's equal parts touching, sad and funny. You're rooting for Sue and Thao to make it out of the neighborhood without getting caught up in the gangs. You want Kowalski's family to understand him. You want Kowalski to make friends and see that having something in common with someone goes deeper than the color of their skin.

I like movies and books that can take difficult topics and characters and make you care about it. Is Kowalski a racist - maybe or he could just be scared of what he doesn't know and shaped by a past fighting in the Korean War. Does he say things that aren't PC - yes. Does it make people uncomfortable when others act this way - of course. But the point is to make you think, make you believe that you can overcome all of that to learn something from someone else.

Five out of five stars. Excellent movie.