Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Gran Torino (2008)

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Posted by Carol May (Member # 4068) on 12-14-2008, 06:40 PM:

If you're looking for an Eastwood fix, go see Changeling again. Gran Torino is Dirty Harry Retires, and it's really silly. As you go along, it's predictable, which is not always a bad thing, but the particular events are so far fetched, I found it hard taking the story seriously.

And Eastwood's sneer and grunt were annoying.

At a 10am Sunday show in LA, the theater was nearly full, close to 300 I'd guess.

Posted by Paul Burt (Member # 3743) on 12-15-2008, 02:08 AM:

Clint may be 78, but he's lost none of his grit. He's kind of an older, retired Dirty Harry, a bigoted Korean War vet whose neighborhood has changed around him. The Hmong family next door particularly bothers him, especially after the son tries to steal his treasured Gran Torino car. But he finds himself defending the family from far worse problems.
Great acting, especially from Clint when he's angry. A good story with a surprising ending. And something to think about as well. Recommended. 4/5

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 12-22-2008, 11:38 AM:

Carol, I haven't seen the movie yet, just the preview, but if you think it's far fetched just spend some time living in Chicago or Detroit. You won't find it very far fetched then....

Mark

Posted by Tom Petrov (Member # 1534) on 01-09-2009, 01:38 AM:

I rarely go to the cinema. But when there is a Clint Eastwood film. I usually go. I have not seen Changeling yet but I will.

As for Gran Torino. Excellent movie. This is storytelling at its finest. I love the character and Clint Eastwood still makes me think of Walt even after two weeks.

I tried the Pabst Blue Ribbon he drinks in the film. The beer sucks.

I plaked the poster for office.

Excellent film. I loved it.

Posted by Chris Hipp (Member # 1788) on 01-09-2009, 06:30 PM:

I thought it was really good. I don't know if it was intentional, but it does not come off as a really serious movie. Clint Eastwood was definitely making fun of himself a lot. It also has some great lines.

Posted by Mike Heenan (Member # 392) on 01-09-2009, 09:06 PM:

Is it ok if I go into this one and pretend the characters name is actually Harry Callahan? [Smile]

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 01-09-2009, 10:26 PM:

To vary a line from Unforgiven, Clint being 78s got nothin' to do with it. Clint Eastwood will still be kicking ass at 100. Most guys get weaker with age. Clint gets tougher. [Cool]

Anyway, this isn't the best Clint Eastwood film of all time, but its very enjoyable. Some of the other acting was weak and I kept laughing at how retarded some of the Asian gang members looked, but the point of seeing this movie is Clint's performance.

3.5 out of 5

Posted by Carey Barber (Member # 1586) on 01-10-2009, 10:58 AM:

I agree with the above posts...this movie was quite good.

Eastwood is fantastic. The movie has a lot more humor and funny lines than you might expect. There are tongue-in-cheek parodies of Clint Eastwood's tough-guy image.

Agreed with Brad about some of the other actors being weak. The gang members were not convincing. The girl did okay, but the boy ("Toad") was not very good.

Overall, this is is one of the best movies I have seen in quite a while.

Grade: A

Posted by Galen Murphy-Fahlgren (Member # 4535) on 01-10-2009, 01:40 PM:

I went into this with very high hopes. By the end of the first reel, I was disappointed. The characters are introduced in stupid little soliloquys they mutter under their respective breaths, or to each other in the first scene. Clint's entire family is unrealistically moronic, and he is clearly unhinged.

I'm ready to write it off, and chastise myself for going to a theater on opening weekend (the well-filled auditorium of 300 think every racial epithet Eastwood mutters is a great joke), when, about the end of the second reel, everything changes. Sure, some of the characters are implausible, Tao (sp?), Clint's family and the priest spring to mind, although I would argue the gang members are not far fetched (I've met people in gangs in Detroit before). But suddenly the characters who spend the most time on screen make a real connection. They stop being silly characters on screen who don't know what they're doing, and become silly people who don't know what they're doing. Obviously, Clint leads the way, and he is clearly a powerful actor here, and yes, many of the plot points are fairly predictable, but it is told with great force and earnestness.

4 out of 5, not as good as Changeling, but also very different. If you like Clint Eastwood's work, definitely check it out.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 01-10-2009, 01:47 PM:

Yea, "Dirty Harry", "Escape from Alcatraz" and a slight mix of "Rambo" ... quite entertaining.

Story a bit thin with obvious plots, cardboard acting from the others, but Eastwood held it all together.

Glad to see him come back into acting once in a while... - in a role that he's well known form .. the tough guy type.

Posted by Andy Nordberg (Member # 5086) on 01-21-2009, 01:40 PM:

I have never been a huge Clint Eastwood fan, but I really enjoyed Gran Torino. I thought it was funny but touching, in the way he cared about "Toad" and Sue and stood up for them against the gangs. It was definitely was one of the better movies of 2008

Posted by Kelly Skaggs (Member # 1780) on 01-22-2009, 09:20 PM:

From what IMDB listed for about a year this started out as Dirty Harry 09. As to why it strayed from the original concept I do not know. I was still happy with the way the movie ended up with Clint being Harry or not. I have also heard that Clint does not plan to act in anymore movies. [Frown]

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 01-26-2009, 07:06 PM:

I've really enjoyed the last 15 years or so watching Clint Eastwood turn into a master film-maker with The Bridges Of Madison County, Unforgiven, Mystic River and Million Dollar Baby.

While Gran Torino is not up to these other's dizzying heights, it does nearly get there at times...especially the final act.

What lets it down is pretty much the entire supporting cast. There are lines delivered with all the acting ability of something you'd find on YouTube. Tao and his sister are at times REALLY bad. The barber borders on it and even some of Clint's deliveries scream out for another take. If anyone else had made this film I would have walked out and wondered how it made it to the big screen. This lack of attention to detail nearly sank this for me.

But there are moments it shines. He may be 78 and his best film-making days it seems may be over, but I'll still make the effort to see a MALPASO Production any day of the week.

[thumbsup]

out of

PS: And I agree it would have made a brilliant Dirty Harry finale.

Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 01-26-2009, 10:10 PM:

According to imdb and other 'net sources:

quote:
Open casting calls for Hmong actors were held in Hmong communities in Detroit, Michigan; Saint Paul, Minnesota; and Fresno, California. None of the Hmong actors in the cast had acted in a film before except Doua Moua.

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 01-26-2009, 11:10 PM:

Bad idea.

Posted by Chad Souder (Member # 343) on 01-28-2009, 11:21 AM:

Loved it! The acting by most of those other than Mr. Eastwood was not great, with the exception of the girl that played his granddaughter. She has a very small role, but absolutely nailed everything wrong with modern teenagers. You could replace her face with 80% of the kids that come in my lobby and be pretty close.

I will also say Eastwood's character exists in every VFW or AMVETS hall in the country. I thought he did an absolutely perfect portrayal. It was nice seeing Clint spit again and I laughed more than I had in a long time.

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 01-28-2009, 11:24 AM:

quote: Mark Gulbrandsen
if you think it's far fetched just spend some time living in Chicago or Detroit

That's right. Everyone knows gangs left L.A. years ago.

Posted by Louis Belloisy (Member # 3836) on 01-28-2009, 04:39 PM:

I believe the first clint eastwood movie i ever saw was "play misty for me" a 1971 thriller. i have enjoyed each and every film that he either acted in or directed, Gran Torino, being no exception. In this he plays his normal bad ass self with a heart of gold. My all time favorite was, "For a few dollars more".

Louis

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 02-02-2009, 10:09 PM:

Finally had time to watch this tonight. Digital presentation at Movies-3 in Rawlins, WY. No sound issues here as one other person experienced. Image was sharp enough to see the grain in the negative.... or what ever print material was used for the transfer.

Amazingly Timmo it was filmed in and around Detroit! I really liked this film alot and I believe the audience also did... the crowd seemed to connect to what ws going on in the picture. Also, If this is Eastwoods last picture it was a great way to exit. I'd like to see it again!

Mark

Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 02-08-2009, 08:35 PM:

Today at Regal 15 in Eugene, #1. Very nice presentation, although the volume level seemed very low, as others have noted about this movie. Nice turnout for an early Sunday matinee.

I ask you, who else besides Clint Eastwood could take this schmaltzy screenplay, hire a largely non-professional cast, direct himself in the lead role, and turn it all into not just a watchable movie, but a very good movie at that? I thoroughly enjoyed this.

Four out of five stars. [thumbsup]

Posted by Mark J. Marshall (Member # 1409) on 02-08-2009, 09:10 PM:

I laughed my ass off, and so did everyone else in the theater. I wonder how many of us know someone like "Wally".

I want to grow up to be an old man like that.

[Smile]

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 02-10-2009, 10:59 PM:

quote: Mark J. Marshall
I want to grow up to be an old man like that.

How much I totally agree with you! I get to Jackson Hole Wyoming today and it's been playing here for 5 weeks and it still sells out every night! Somehow I see Clint just gaining more and more steam as he gets older... I think by the time he's 95 he'll be directing and starring in more films than most 30 year old directors can muster up the energy to do!!

Posted by Janusz Antkiewicz (Member # 5118) on 02-11-2009, 03:01 PM:

Definitely one of the best movies I've seen recently.

I enjoyed just about everything: Eastwood's masterpiece acting, the Gran Torino song and most of all this whole idea that some rules should remain unchanged but still we need to keep our minds open.
See how easy (difficult? [Confused]

) it is to make a good movie (that is the one that gets you thinking): you don't need plenty of money (A shot in the dark Gran Torino is one of the cheapest movies ever [Big Grin]

); you can even do without a bunch of famous actors/actresses and fancy costumes and picturesque landscapes etc. but what you need is this conviction of your
ideas and beliefs.

Surely deserves the Oscar (more than e.g. Slumdog...)

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 02-11-2009, 05:46 PM:

quote: Janusz Antkiewicz
Surely deserves the Oscar (more than e.g. Slumdog...)

I completely agree!

Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 02-11-2009, 09:09 PM:

According to boxofficemojo.com the production budget for Gran Torino was $33M, more than I would have guessed. Its total gross so far is $126M, most of it in the US. Warner Bros. must be pleased.

Posted by Mark J. Marshall (Member # 1409) on 02-12-2009, 07:49 AM:

I wonder how much of that was Clint's salary. Hopefully 30M. He'd deserve every penny.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 02-12-2009, 09:42 AM:

If that were the case, he'd only have 3 mil left to make the whole movie with. He's known for coming in under budget, but I don't think even Clint could pull off a whole movie that cheap.

He may have negotiated a salary on points based on the film's gross after production costs. That's what Jim Carrey did on "Yes Man."

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 02-26-2009, 12:47 AM:

I enjoyed the movie for the most part. I liked how Clint was not allowed to pull his truck all the way into his driveway. The ass-half of the truck was blocking the sidewalk. Who parks like that when there is plenty of space in front of them? Someone who doesn't want the cab section of the truck to be obscured, that's who. At a different point in time the camera angle is different and therefore the truck is pulled further in to the driveway only barely blocking the sidewalk, but the cab section was still not allowed to be obscured even though nobody was in it. This, to me, was what made this movie very realistic (and emotionally gripping) as I have never heard of anyone allowing the cab section of their truck to be obscured from any camera's point of view. I think there might be a law...

Also, Clint sings to you if you stay for the credits. His soothing, gentle voice kisses your ears with well-trained melodies which enhance the entire movie-going experience 11 or 12-fold. Eat your heart out, Celine Dion!

Posted by Jim Bedford (Member # 4) on 02-26-2009, 10:02 AM:

I liked this movie. It was funnier than I had expected too.

"Oh, I've got one. A Mexican, a Jew, and a colored guy go into a bar. The bartender looks up and says, 'Get the fuck out of here.'"

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 02-26-2009, 10:49 AM:

quote: Joe Redifer
I think there might be a law...

Or a product placement deal. However it did not work on me, because I can't remember what kind of truck Clint was driving.

Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 02-26-2009, 07:03 PM:

quote: Mike Blakesley
I can't remember what kind of truck Clint was driving

Walt "I'll blow a hole in your face then go inside and sleep like a baby" Kowalski was a retired Ford assembly line worker. He drove a Ford pickup truck.

Posted by Chad Souder (Member # 343) on 02-26-2009, 08:55 PM:

A product placement deal with a truck that was 20+ years old? I hope you were being sarcastic.

Posted by Justin Gorka (Member # 3727) on 02-27-2009, 07:11 PM:

I enjoyed this. The subtext is especially relevant in the UK!
4/5

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 03-04-2009, 09:10 PM:

quote: Chad Souder
A product placement deal with a truck that was 20+ years old?

Why not? 20 year old Ford pickup that is still running = [thumbsup]

I enjoyed this film very much. I agree with most of the sentiments already expresed in this thread -- the supporting acting wasn't all that great, but it was overshadowed by Eastwood's performance.

He was on Letterman promoting this movie recently and amazingly, he sounds nothing in "real life" like he did in the movie. His voice is actually still very smooth.

We've had a couple of people say they don't like the ending, but I think it has a perfect ending. Things work out the best for everyone concerned. I half-expected the kid to come out of nowhere and blow the bad guys away at the last possible second, but that doesn't happen...and the movie is much better for it.

Really the only thing that bugged me about the film was ... it showed two Catholic funerals, and neither one of them bore even the slightest resemblance to a real Catholic funeral. Since Catholicism is so important to the story line here, I'd think they would have gone to the trouble to get it right. (I.E. Caskets should have been closed; there should be signs of a Mass being held, etc.)

That small gripe aside, and the fact that it's doing a booming business here, lead me to give it a four out of five star rating.

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 03-04-2009, 10:46 PM:

The ending is the best part! It saved the entire film for me.

I saw the interview also on Letterman. In fact, here it is.

He obviously wanted to channel the character from Heartbreak Ridge again.

Posted by Sally Ann Burgess (Member # 4746) on 03-14-2009, 04:42 AM:

Loved it loved it loved it. In fact I was so keen, I went in to work at 6am to do the test screening. I can't stand watching films with other people because they're either on their phones texting or they talk through it.
Anyway...I agree with John about the ending. I saw it coming not long before it happened but was still moved by it.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 03-14-2009, 09:42 AM:

There are a LOT of parallels between this movie and John Wayne's last film, "The Shootist." It's a smiliar story but in the old west and with much less comedy (and a somewhat different ending). Anyone who enjoyed this movie and hasn't seen "The Shootist" should check it out!

Posted by Tony L. Hernandez (Member # 3524) on 04-16-2009, 03:33 AM:

I really loved every minute of this film. I saw it about 3 weeks ago at the Cinema Saver 6 in Fort Collins, Colorado. I enjoyed the storyline, the photography and than characters. I loved getting to watch an elderly "bigot", very set in his ways slowly break down and learn to love those different then himself, albeit in his own way.
One of the most beautiful human interest stories I have seen in me life!