Gran Torino (film)

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Gran Torino

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Clint Eastwood
Produced by Clint Eastwood
Bill Gerber
Robert Lorenz
Written by Screenplay
Nick Schenk
Story
Dave Johannson
Nick Schenk
Starring Clint Eastwood
Bee Vang
Music by Kyle Eastwood
Michael Stevens
Cinematography Tom Stern
Editing by Joel Cox
Gary D. Roach
Studio Village Roadshow Pictures
Malpaso Productions
Media Magik Entertainment
Distributed by Warner Bros.
Release date(s) Limited
December 12, 2008
United States
January 9, 2009
Running time 116 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Hmong
Budget $33 million[1]
Gross revenue $263,195,302[2]

Gran Torino is a 2008 American drama film directed and produced by Clint Eastwood, who also stars in the film. The film marks Eastwood's return to a lead acting role after four years, his last leading role having been in Million Dollar Baby. The film features a predominantly Hmong cast, as well as Eastwood's younger son, Scott Eastwood, playing "Trey". Eastwood's older son, Kyle Eastwood, provided the score. The film opened to theaters in a limited release in North America on December 12, 2008, and later to a worldwide release on January 9, 2009.[3]

The story follows Walt Kowalski, a recently widowed Korean War veteran who is alienated from his family and angry at the entire world. On a dare by his cousin for initiation into a gang, Thao, Walt's young neighbor, tries to steal Walt's prized 1972 Ford Gran Torino. Walt develops a relationship with the boy and his family. Gran Torino was a critical success, and became Eastwood's most lucrative film by grossing over $263 million worldwide.

Contents

[edit] Plot

 Please help improve this section by pruning it. Further information might be found on the talk page. (June 2009)

Walt Kowalski (Clint Eastwood) is a retired Polish American Ford factory worker and Korean War veteran. He lives with his golden Labrador Retriever, Daisy, in a Highland Park, Michigan neighborhood, formerly populated by working-class white families, now dominated by poor Asian immigrants and infested with gang violence. The movie begins with Walt attending his wife's funeral, bristling at the shallow eulogy of young Father Janovich, and his own sons, Mitch and Steve, with their self-absorbed families. Walt’s poor relationship with his family and his own deteriorating health are shown at various points throughout the film.

Soon afterwards, a Hmong family, the Vang Lors, move in next door to Walt, much to his displeasure. Among the family are teenagers Sue, and her brother, Thao. The shy Thao is relentlessly pressured to join a local Hmong gang by his cousin, and he eventually agrees to an initiation which requires him to steal Walt’s prized car, a 1972 Ford Gran Torino Sport. Walt interrupts the theft, however, and Thao is forced to flee.

Meanwhile, Father Janovich visits Walt regularly, keeping the promise he made to Walt’s wife to watch over him. Walt is initially reluctant but slowly opens up, revealing that he is still haunted by memories of Korea.

The Hmong gang returns to pressure Thao further and they turn violent when he rejects them. As Thao’s family and other Hmong neighbors attempt to fend the gang off, the fight spills over onto Walt’s lawn. Furious, Walt points his M1 Garand at the gang members and they retreat. The Hmong families are grateful to Walt and Thao admits that it was he who tried to steal the Gran Torino. Walt demands to be left alone and attempts to reject the gifts continually brought to him by his Hmong neighbors. A few days later, however, Walt rescues Sue after he witnesses her being harassed by several black teenagers. Sue befriends Walt and invites him to a family barbecue on his birthday, explaining Hmong culture and their alliance with American forces during the Vietnam War. Later, Walt develops a relationship with Thao, initially using him to carry out odd jobs around the neighborhood, and eventually getting him a job in construction. He also begins to accept the food and other gifts his neighbors keep leaving on his front porch.

A short time later, Thao is confronted and robbed by his cousin's gang on his way home from work. Walt confronts one of the gang members, beating him and demanding that they leave Thao alone. The gang responds with a drive-by shooting on the Vang Lor home, and by beating and raping Sue. Thao is furious, and urges Walt to take vengeance with him. Walt agrees but says that careful planning and caution are needed. He goes for a haircut, buys a new suit, goes to confession, and later locks Thao in his basement when the teenager shows up to "plan the attack". Walt finally confesses at this point that during the war, he killed a young Communist soldier around Thao's age who "just wanted to give up", and that he does not want Thao's soul to be tainted like his is.

Walt confronts the gang members outside their home. Cigarette in his mouth, he asks the gang for a light, and then deliberately reaches under his jacket. The gang guns him down, believing he was reaching for a weapon, although he is actually reaching for his lighter. Walt falls dead to the ground. Police soon arrive at the scene and arrest the gang members for murder.

Thao and Sue show up to Walt's funeral dressed in traditional Hmong clothing, with Father Janovich leading the procession. The scene cuts to the reading of Walt's last will and testament, in which he completely snubs his estranged and uncaring family. He leaves his house to Father Janovich's church, and his Gran Torino to Thao. The movie ends with Thao driving the car off into the horizon, with Walt's dog, Daisy, in the passenger seat.

[edit] Cast

  • Clint Eastwood as Walt Kowalski, a bitter, isolated war veteran and retired automobile assembly line worker, who can't get along with his children or his neighbors. Walt at first views his Hmong neighbors as foreign invaders; he further believes that Thao is a coward, especially after he tries to steal his Gran Torino.
  • Bee Vang as Thao Vang Lor, or Toad "Referred by Walt", a quiet and shy young Hmong who is first influenced by his gangster cousins, but Kowalski sets out to reform him after he attempts to steal his car. Through Walt, he learns how to do construction work and labor, and how to act like a man, even getting help asking out his friend Youa.
  • Christopher Carley as Father Janovich, the young priest of Kowalski's neighborhood. Walt claims that he doesn't know anything about life or death, but Janovich gradually learns through speaking with Walt, coming to understand him and his motives. Janovich constantly reminds Walt of his wife's desire for him to go to confession, which he does just before he dies. Janovich at the end of the film claims that only after knowing Walt did he really know of life and death.
  • Ahney Her as Sue Lor, Thao's older sister, who is the first of Walt's Hmong neighbors to befriend him after he rescues her. She has a lighthearted and witty personality, easily getting along with Walt despite his grumpiness.
  • Doua Moua as Fong "Spider", Thao's cousin, who leads a gang of Hmong.
  • Brian Haley as Mitch Kowalski and Brian Howe as Steve Kowalski, Walt's arrogant sons, with whom he does not get along very well, and who in turn dislike him. They only contact Walt out of their own self-serving materialistic interests.
  • Geraldine Hughes as Karen Kowalski, Walt's daughter-in-law, who shares her husband Mitch's view of Walt.
  • Dreama Walker as Ashley Kowalski and Michael E. Kurowski as Josh Kowalski, Walt's spoiled, vain grandchildren who don't care about him.
  • John Carroll Lynch as Barber Martin, Kowalski's barber, an old acquaintance of his.
  • Chee Thao as Grandma Vang Lor, The elderly neighbor of Kowalski, who at first hates him the same way he hated his other neighbors.
  • Choua Kue as Youa, Thao's girlfriend, who Walt convinces Thao to ask out after recognizing their mutual interest. Walt, unable to pronounce her name correctly, simply refers to her as "Miss Yum-Yum".

[edit] Production

Gran Torino was directed by Clint Eastwood and written by Nick Schenk.[4] It was produced by Village Roadshow Pictures, Media Magik Entertainment and Malpaso Productions for film distributor Warner Bros. Eastwood also produced alongside Malpaso partner Robert Lorenz and Bill Gerber.[5] The original script was inspired by inner-ring suburbs of Minneapolis, Minnesota, but filmmakers chose to produce Gran Torino in the state of Michigan, becoming one of the first films to take advantage of the state's new law that provided lucrative incentive packages to film productions.[6] Filming began in July 2008;[7] locations included Highland Park, Detroit, Center Line,[8] Warren, Royal Oak, and Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan.[9] Hmong crew, production assistants, consultants and extras were used.[4][10]

In the early 1990s, Schenk became acquainted with the history and culture of the Hmong while working in a factory in Minnesota.[11] He also learned how they had sided with the South Vietnamese forces and its U.S. allies during the Vietnam War, only to wind up in refugee camps, at the mercy of northern Communist forces, when American troops pulled out and the government forces were defeated.[11] Years later, he was deciding how to develop a story involving a widowed Korean War veteran trying to handle the changes in his neighborhood when he decided to place a Hmong family next door and create a culture clash.[11] He and Dave Johannson, Schenk's brother's roommate, created an outline for the story.[11] Some industry insiders told Schenk that he could not produce a film starring elderly characters as it could not be sold.[11] Through a friend Schenk sent the screenplay to Warner Bros. producer Bill Gerber.[11] Eastwood was able to direct and star on the project as filming for The Human Factor was delayed to early 2009, leaving sufficient time for filming during the previous summer.[11] Eastwood said that he had a "fun and challenging role, and it's an oddball story."[11]

Warner Bros. suggested that the movie should be shot in Michigan due to tax rebates intended to lure television and film productions to the state, and as a result of this incentive, most of the movie was filmed in Highland Park, Michigan. Producer Robert Lorenz said that while the script was originally set in Minnesota, he chose Michigan as the actual setting as Kowalski is a retired car plant worker. Eastwood wanted Hmong as cast members, so casting director Ellen Chenoweth enlisted Hmong organizations and set up calls in Detroit, Fresno, and St. Paul; Fresno and St. Paul have the two largest Hmong communities in the United States, while Detroit also has an appreciable population of Hmong.[12] Chenoweth recruited Bee Vang in St. Paul and Ahney Her in Detroit.[11]

[edit] Release

[edit] Theatrical run

In the film's opening weekend of wide release, it grossed $29.5 million, and as of June 26, 2009, has taken in $263,195,302.[2][13]

[edit] Home media release

The film was released on June 9, 2009 in the United States in both standard DVD format and Blu-ray.[14] The disc includes bonus materials and extra features.[14] A featurette is included and a documentary about the correlation of manhood and the automobile.[15] The Blu-ray version presents the film in 2.40:1 ratio format, and the audio in multiple languages.[15][16]

[edit] Reception

[edit] Reviews

After seeing the film, The New York Times noted the requiem tone captured by the film, describing it as "a sleek, muscle car of a movie made in the U.S.A., in that industrial graveyard called Detroit".[17] Manohla Dargis of the Times compared Eastwood's presence on film to Dirty Harry and The Man with No Name, stating, "Dirty Harry is back, in a way, in Gran Torino, not as a character but as a ghostly presence. He hovers in the film, in its themes and high-caliber imagery, and of course most obviously in Mr. Eastwood’s face. It is a monumental face now, so puckered and pleated that it no longer looks merely weathered, as it has for decades, but seems closer to petrified wood."[17] The Los Angeles Times also praised Eastwood's performance and credibility as an action hero at the age of 78. Kenneth Turan said of Eastwood's performance, "It is a film that is impossible to imagine without the actor in the title role. The notion of a 78-year-old action hero may sound like a contradiction in terms, but Eastwood brings it off, even if his toughness is as much verbal as physical. Even at 78, Eastwood can make 'Get off my lawn' sound as menacing as 'Make my day,' and when he says 'I blow a hole in your face and sleep like a baby,' he sounds as if he means it."[18] Roger Ebert wrote that the film is "about the belated flowering of a man's better nature. And it's about Americans of different races growing more open to one another in the new century."[19]

Rotten Tomatoes reported that 80 percent of critics gave the film positive write-ups, based upon a sample of 150, with an average score of 7/10.[20] At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the film has received an average score of 72, based on 33 reviews.[21]

[edit] Awards and nominations

Gran Torino was recognized by the American Film Institute as one of the Ten Best Films of 2008.[22] Clint Eastwood's performance has also garnered recognition. He won an award for Best Actor from the National Board of Review,[23] he is currently nominated for the Broadcast Film Critics Association (Critics' Choice Awards) and by the Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association for Best Actor.[24][25] An original song from the film, "Gran Torino", was nominated for the Golden Globe Awards for Best Original Song. The music is by Clint Eastwood, Jamie Cullum, Kyle Eastwood, and Michael Stevens, with Cullum penning the lyrics.[26] The Art Directors Guild nominated Gran Torino in the contemporary film category.[27]

The film, however, was snubbed by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences at the 81st Academy Awards when it was not nominated for a single Oscar, which led to heated criticism from critics and moviegoers alike, who felt that the Academy had also deliberately snubbed WALL-E, The Dark Knight, and Revolutionary Road from the five major categories.[28][29]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Roger Friedman (2009-02-02). "Clint Eastwood's $110 Million Revenge". Fox News. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,486489,00.html. Retrieved on 2009-02-02. 
  2. ^ a b "Gran Torino (2008)". Box Office Mojo. 2009-03-26. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=main&id=grantorino.htm. Retrieved on 2009-06-26. 
  3. ^ McNary, Dave; Pamela McClintock (October 23, 2008). "High School Musical 3 aims for No. 1". Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117994551.html. Retrieved on October 24, 2008. 
  4. ^ a b Schein, Louisa (October 3, 2008). "Eastwood's Next Film Features Hmong American Cast: Exclusive Interviews From the Set of Gran Torino". AsianWeek. http://www.asianweek.com/2008/10/03/eastwoods-next-film-features-hmong-american-cast-exclusive-interviews-from-the-set-of-gran-torino/. Retrieved on October 28, 2008. 
  5. ^ Garrett, Diane; Pamela McClintock (March 18, 2008). "Eastwood to direct Gran Torino". Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117982650.html. Retrieved on October 24, 2008. 
  6. ^ Graham, Adam (July 18, 2008). "Clint Eastwood attracts giddy gawkers". The Detroit News. 
  7. ^ "Clint Eastwood begins shooting movie in Grosse Pointe Shores". The Detroit News. July 15, 2008. 
  8. ^ Allard, Maria (July 16, 2008). "Clint Eastwood films scene for new movie in Highland Park, Center Line". candgnews.com (C & G Publishing). http://www.candgnews.com/Homepage-Articles/2008/7-16-08/WF-MOVIE.asp. Retrieved on December 19, 2008. 
  9. ^ Hall, Christina (July 15, 2008). "The film set next door: Lights... camera... Clint Eastwood!". Detroit Free Press. 
  10. ^ Schein, Louisa (September 3, 2008). "Hmong Actors Making History: The Bad Guys Of Eastwood's Gran Torino". New America Media (Pacific News Service). http://news.newamericamedia.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=9c74f65fbd40944ddeba5271a1013bd0. Retrieved on October 28, 2008. 
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h i Todd Longwell (2008-12-09). "Eastwood recognizes Hmong immigrants with new film". Reuters. http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSTRE4B81ZC20081209. Retrieved on 2009-01-28. 
  12. ^ Donnelly, Francis (April 12, 2005). "Culture shock, poverty plague Hmong in Michigan". The Detroit News. http://www.detnews.com/2005/metro/0504/12/A01-147925.htm. 
  13. ^ Rich, Joshua (2009-02-01). "Taken steals No. 1 slot at box office". Entertainment Weekly (CNN). http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Movies/02/01/box.office.ew/index.html?iref=mpstoryview. Retrieved on 2009-02-02. 
  14. ^ a b McCutcheon, David (2009-03-25). "Gran Torino's Pedal to Metal". IGN. http://dvd.ign.com/articles/965/965948p1.html. Retrieved on 2009-03-26. 
  15. ^ a b "Gran Torino fera rugir vos lecteurs Blu-ray" (in French). Audio vidéo haute définition. 2009-03-26. http://www.audiovideohd.fr/actualites/4858-Gran-Torino-Blu-ray.html. Retrieved on 2009-03-26. 
  16. ^ "Gran Torino (R1/US BD) in June". DVD Times. 2009-03-24. http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=70336. Retrieved on 2009-03-26. 
  17. ^ a b Dargis, Manohla (December 12, 2008). "Gran Torino (2008): Hope for a Racist, and Maybe a Country". New York Times. http://movies.nytimes.com/2008/12/12/movies/12tori.html. Retrieved on December 16, 2008. 
  18. ^ Turan, Kenneth (December 12, 2008). "Review: Gran Torino: Clint Eastwood, at 78, shows he's still a formidable action figure". Los Angeles Times. http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/reviews/la-et-torino12-2008dec12,0,2314630.story. Retrieved on December 16, 2008. 
  19. ^ Ebert, Roger (December 17, 2008). "Review: Gran Torino". Chicago Sun-Times. http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081217/REVIEWS/812179989. Retrieved on February 25, 2009. 
  20. ^ "Gran Torino Movie Reviews". Rotten Tomatoes. IGN Entertainment. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/gran_torino/. Retrieved on 2009-01-21. 
  21. ^ "Gran Torino (2008): Reviews". Metacritic. CNET Networks. http://www.metacritic.com/film/titles/grantorino. Retrieved on 2009-01-21. 
  22. ^ "AFI Awards 2008". afi.com. American Film Institute. http://www.afi.com/tvevents/afiawards08/default.aspx. Retrieved on December 16, 2008. 
  23. ^ "Awards for 2008". nbrmp.org. National Board of Review. http://www.nbrmp.org/awards/. Retrieved on December 16, 2008. 
  24. ^ "The 14th Critics' Choice Awards Nominees". bfca.org. Broadcast Film Critics Association. http://www.bfca.org/ccawards/2008.php. Retrieved on December 16, 2008. 
  25. ^ "L.A., D.C. critics announce 2008 film awards". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. December 9, 2008. http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/movies/391405_movieawards10.html. Retrieved on December 16, 2008. 
  26. ^ "Golden Globe Awards nominations for the year ended December 31, 2008". goldenglobes.org. Hollywood Foreign Press Association. http://www.goldenglobes.org/news/id/104. Retrieved on December 16, 2008. 
  27. ^ Kroll, Justin (2009-01-09). "Art Directors Guild unveils nominees Button, Doubt, Torino among contenders". Variety (Reed Business Information). http://www.variety.com/awardcentral_article/VR1117998295.html?nav=news&categoryid=1983&cs=1. Retrieved on 2009-01-09. 
  28. ^ Lemire, Christy (2009-01-22). "Oscar nomination surprises and snubs". Associated Press. http://www.masslive.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2009/01/oscar_nomination_surprises_and.html. Retrieved on 2009-02-26. 
  29. ^ Kreps, Daniel (2009-01-22). "Oscars Snub Springsteen, Celebrate "Slumdog" As Nominations Are Announced". Rolling Stone. http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2009/01/22/oscars-snub-springsteen-celebrate-slumdog-as-nominations-are-announced/. Retrieved on 2009-02-09. 

[edit] External links

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Preceded by
Marley & Me		 Box office number-one films of 2009 (USA)
January 11, 2009		 Succeeded by
Paul Blart: Mall Cop
v • d • e
Films directed by Clint Eastwood
1970s
Play Misty for Me (1971) • High Plains Drifter (1973) • Breezy (1973) • The Eiger Sanction (1975) • The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976) • The Gauntlet (1977)
1980s
Bronco Billy (1980) • Firefox (1982) • Honkytonk Man (1982) • Sudden Impact (1983) • Pale Rider (1985) • Heartbreak Ridge (1986) • Bird (1988)
1990s
2000s
Space Cowboys (2000) • Blood Work (2002) • Mystic River (2003) • Million Dollar Baby (2004) • Flags of Our Fathers (2006) • Letters from Iwo Jima (2006) • Changeling (2008) • Gran Torino (2008) • Invictus (2009)
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