Gran Torino

♣♣♣♣♣/♣♣♣♣♣

God, how tragic this movie is! It makes me want to massacre bald, plump, idiotic shithead members of good-for-nothing gangs in America. But I think that is why the movie is so brilliant. It makes you want to go ballistic after seeing the injustice done to the characters in the film and then you hold back and realize that it is the exact message that the movie really wants to get across to you, what does violence really achieve? Nothing, really. Just more violence. Worthless violence.

I get the whole Asian ghetto gang thing going on. America could be oh so racist. It is a defense mechanism. Let us band together, wear our bling blings, carry our guns, and roll the streets in our old Honda Civics looking for trouble. Okay, fine if that is what you want. Go! But to force other people, specially those who belong to the same situation you are in, to join your moron club and destroy their lives in the process? What fvcking right have you to impose your stupid world view to other people? Freaking son of a bitch. I hate gangs. Gangs should go to hell! Instead of helping your fellowmen adjust to their already prejudiced lives in America, you try to convince them to be super troublesome gun-wielding bums like you and when they refuse you punish them for it? Shit. Man, I so hate gangs right now. Fvck gangs. Shit, I am so sorry, the movie really just had this effect on me. Shit. Damn gangs. Die gangs, die! Die!

Clint Eastwood is scary and his performance in this movie is his best so far, in my opinion, because I have not seen that Dirty Harry film of his. So why is he not nominated in the Oscars either for best actor or best director? The guy is 78 years old and yet he could still muster a menacing glare that tells you, Without the slightest provocation, I could blow your head off with this shotgun of mine. So stay out of my lawn, unless you are feeling lucky today, punk. Could you say the same 28 words without opening your mouth and just by looking at someone? I liked the part when his son came to visit on his birthday and they suggested sending him to a retirement home. Before his face exploded in anger, you could see his facial muscles twitch to convey a flurry of emotions all at the same time, from helplessness to resentment to denial and eventually to anger. Wow. The old man could act and the role is just perfect for him. I could not see another actor who could have done the role convincingly.

The film tackled a lot of issues and you are flooded with a lot of realizations, one of which is the situation of old people in America. I guess the culture is really different. It is ironic how an old war veteran found companionship and friendship from a very traditional immigrant family living next door, when in fact he had his own family that he could have relied on, only they did not feel the same way towards him. Then people wonder why old people in the west are so senile. I feel bad for them, really.

Another issue is that of immigration. I liked the dynamics between Mr. Kowalski and the old Vietnamese hag living next door. They were both old and they could have related well with one another but coming from different cultures they just did not get to understand each other. Mr. Kowalski might be an old man that is not very likable because of his sarcasm and hatred towards the world but I think what he did to that lost Vietnamese teenager was admirable. Providing guidance to another person and giving advice on how he could maximize his potential as a human being, that is just noble, in contrast to what those idiots in the gang were trying to do. Die gangs! I hate you gangs! Die! Die! Die!

The support cast was good, though the acting of the Vietnamese teenagers could still be improved. It is probably the debut movie of the boy who played Tao, and it was evident. As for the one who portrayed Sue, I think she kind of nailed it, though she was sort of annoying, or perhaps that is really just how the character was supposed to be. The indifference of Walt's family members transcends the screen and gets to you. And the members of the gang. Wow, they really make you want to murder them. So I think that means they were very effective portraying the roles of evil a**holes who should go to hell. Go to hell and die. I hate them. Die gang members! Die!

Tragic movie. Might affect you so much, emotionally. Keep away from sharp objects while watching the movie, you might feel the urge to stab someone when you see those gang members, specially that plump chubby one who is vertically challenged. Grrr. I hate gangs.