Few Hollywood stars have enjoyed such an illustrious career as Clint Eastwood - both in front of and behind the camera his filmography spans decades of film history, with his face as iconic as John Wayne and, for that, matter, any other star you care to think of. His more recent directorial efforts have been somewhat hit or miss, but with Gran Torino both his screen presence and directing abilities hit the mark. Eastwood stars as war Walt Kowalski, a veteran living alone who is alienated from the rest of his family and fueled by an anger at the world around him which borders on the misanthropic. His Asian neighbour Thao (Bee Vang) attempts to steal his prized Ford Gran Torino as part of gang initiation rites but Walt catches him in the act, and is forced to work for Walt to make amends. As their unlikely friendship develops so too do the tensions with the local gang, leading to the inevitable bloody conclusion. Gran Torino is as much an exploration of contemporary American race relations as it is about a man in old age struggling to come to terms with his past and overcoming his guilt. While perhaps no masterpiece, Gran Torino is still a film about reconciliation and redemption worth the time.
