Gran Torino[...caution - spoiler ahead...]
I know, this movie is getting tons of love. It has won awards. It is raking in the dough. Critics say good things about it. People laud Eastwood's acting. Et moi? I am not so sure. I am not so easily convinced.
For one thing, the acting generally sucks. Someone cast a gang of actors that simply cannot act. Eastwood's acting is as to be expected. In other words, it is predictable. He speaks through clenched teeth like he is still Dirty Harry. He grunts, groans, and generally acts far cooler than is humanly possible for someone his age. But, that is not the problem.
I bet that the rest of the cast had never acted a day in their lives. It's not atrocious acting by any means, but it is wooden, stiff, and unbelievable. But, the major problem with Gran Torino is the transformation undergone by Eastwood's character. I don't buy it.
I don't buy his transformation from a racist jerk to a sympathetic angel willing to sacrifice his life for people he hated just a few days earlier. The audience salivates for a Dirty Harry bloodbath and are left wanting. Instead, we are left to ponder a huge self-sacrifice that is as troubling as it is unbelievable. And, the last sacrificial act violates one of the central tenants about the ethnic group he has come to know and understand: they don't talk, so all of the witnesses are useless and the last act is contradictory, pointless, and convenient.
On the other hand, the movie was free, so I don't feel robbed.
5 comments:
Jeff doesnt like westerns or anything in that area of movies so we wont be seeing this one.. This one might interest my mom but maybe not..
For the record, the rest of the cast had never acted a day in their lives. I think the girl, Sue, or whatever, was the only one who had any acting experience.
I liked Gran Torino, personally. I probably wouldn't have paid to see it, but I also got to see it free, so no complaints.
I recently saw a Brian Cox movie called "Red" that was an awful lot like this, so I'll pass.
I haven't seen the movie but I have to say Clint Eastwood annoys me. He directs and stars in all his movies which means he never has any boss to tell him to "Hey Clint, you're old!" so instead he acts like he's still the hip young gunslinger in a spaghetti western. Hence his movies are all fantasies for elderly men who want to believe they've still got the stuff, much like Sean Connery's later works.
I'm glad I'm not the only one. i think Eastwood failed at whatever his goal was here, was exploitative of a theme and made a poor movie - all at the same time.
AH, belch - I feel better now.
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