Clint Eastwood Movie:

		List Price: $35.99		Label: Warner Home Video Salesrank: 568 Released: June 9, 2009
		Our Price: $15.99
		Used Price: $12.00
		MPAA Rating: R (Restricted) Media: Blu-ray

Editorial Review:
A disgruntled Korean War vet, Walt Kowalski (Eastwood), sets out to reform his neighbor, a young Hmong teenager, who tried to steal Kowalski's prized possession: his 1972 Gran Torino.

Description of Gran Torino (+ BD-Live) [Blu-ray]:
Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino, an unassuming picture shot during a post-production lull on his elaborate period piece Changeling, was quietly rolled out at Christmastime 2008, whereupon it proceeded to blow away all the Oscar-bait behemoths at the box office and win its 78-year-old star the best reviews of his acting career. Both film and performance are consummately sly--coming on with deceptive simplicity, only to evolve into something complex, powerful, and surprisingly tender. Just as Unforgiven was a tragic reflection on Eastwood's legacy in the Western genre, Gran Torino caps and eloquently critiques the urban heritage of Dirty Harry and his violent brethren. And on top of that, the movie becomes a savvy meditation on America in a particular historical moment, racially, economically, spiritually. Call it a "state of the union" message. But call it that with a wry grin.

The latest Dirty Harry is actually a grumpy Walt: Walt Kowalski (Eastwood playing his own age), widower, Korean War veteran, retired auto worker, and the last white resident of his Detroit side street. It's hard to say who irks him more--his blood kin (a pretty lame bunch) or the Hmong families who are his new neighbors. Kowalski's a racist, because it has never occurred to him he shouldn't be. Besides, that's the flipside of the mutual ethnic baiting that serves as coin of affection for him and his working-class buddies. Circumstances--and two young people next door, the feisty Sue (Ahney Her) and her conflicted brother Thao (Bee Vang)--contrive to involve Walt with a new community, and anoint him as its hero after he turns his big guns on some ruffians. The trajectory of this may surprise you--several times over. Eastwood opted to film in economically blighted Detroit--a shrewd decision, but it's his mapping of Walt's world in that classical style of his that really counts. Every incidental corner of lawn, porch, and basement comes to matter--and by all means the workshop/garage that houses the mint-condition Gran Torino which Walt helped build in a more prosperous era. This is a remarkable movie. --Richard T. Jameson

Gran Torino (+ BD-Live) [Blu-ray] Reviews:
Classic Eastwood
2009-12-31 - No surprise. A classic Eastwood movie with all his nuances. By the end of the movie you are drawn in and care about all the people involved. Great job.

Clint Eastwood does it again!
2009-12-30 - Clint Eastwood is a master! His direction of Gran Torino and Walt Kowalski, his character in the film, is just one more example. And Bee Vang's portrayal of Thao is wonderful.

How the Clint Stole Christmas
2009-12-30 - Seriously, can you believe this insipid film? At best, it's a good episode of "CHiPS" -- at worst, a bad episode of "CHiPS". And what horrid acting, all around! Hard to actually see Clint's heart growing bigger, but you know it did. Well, you assume as much. Don't you?

OK, but not what I expected
2009-12-30 - Being a huge Clint Eastwood fan, I expected a lot more action than this film had. I knew basically what it was about, but again, not enough action, and truthfully, half the time I was waiting for something to happen, but it didn't. There was far too much sitting around staring at the neighbors to suit me, and the film was much too long to say what it had to say. I might have liked the film better if the ending would have been a bit more upbeat, at least. But, I guess, I should have expected it after it became obvious that Eastwood's character had health problems and something had to be done to bring the bad guys to a closure.

Gran Torino
2009-12-29 - Clint Eastwood proves yet again that he is the best living director. I really enjoyed this movie. Clint Eastwood's fans won't be disapointed...neither will movie lovers. This is a home run.