Gran Torino (2008) - What A Drama!

★★★★☆

‘Gran Torino’ wouldn’t have been so impressive if the ending was of bloodshed instead of a restrained, brave, melancholy way of self-redemption. In case you get it wrong, this is no action drama. Clint Eastwood’s Walt doesn’t even get to fire a bullet though we all kind of expect him to. The story’s well paced and told. The mood’s pressed on, intense and breathtaking sometimes. Walt’s change is convincing. What he does in the end is as a result of wisdom and calmness that he’s finally learned from his confession of guilt and past experiences of hell! The best Clint Eastwood’s film I’ve seen ever since his 2004’s ‘Million Dollar Baby’, hands down.

One of the memorable scenes in the film is where, after the expected tragedy, Walt unexpectedly tells Thao to stay calm so as not to let mistakes get made again. We may have different views to what we call bravery, but whatever, it should come with wisdom. Bravery without wisdom is nothing but a violent act of rashness and stupidity. Walt’s a troubled old lonely veteran who can’t make peace with his shadows, kids, grandkids and even his neighbors in the first place. But wisdom never leaves a man that’s calm and selfless. We keep making the same mistakes because we always seem to act on emotions powered by our ego. We’re never calm and brave enough to see the difference between what’s supposed to be done and what we think we should do! The film’s last standoff shows a man’s real courage to face whatever he’s done wrong, and his determination not to repeat it! It’s an inconceivable finish!