10 Almost Perfect Movies (With One Terrible Scene)

When talking about Clint Eastwood's best roles, most people will point to flicks like Million Dollar Baby, Unforgiven, The Good, The Bad and the Ugly, and Dirty Harry. But Gran Torino should be up there too.

Still, while Eastwood kills it in this gripping drama about a Korean war vet befriending his Hmong American neighbours, the supporting performance from his co-star (Bee Vang) doesn't quite hit the mark.

Vang's unnatural delivery can be excused for most of the film, as it feeds into the character's naivety and awkwardness. However, there are no excuses present when it ruins what should have been the best scene in the movie.

This moment comes after Walt locks Thao in his basement, stopping him from venturing on a suicide mission and finally revealing how haunted he is by his past. As he leaves, Thao bangs on the door and tries to stop him, but it's comically bad, ruining the whole emotional catharsis of the scene.

Eastwood works overtime to sell the drama, but Vang's unconvincing screams, awkward physicality, and wooden delivery utterly tank it. Gran Torino is still a masterpiece, but it could have been even better had this moment been stronger.