GOP Mike's Movie Review - Gran Torino, starring Clint Eastwood

GOP Mike's Blog ^ | 1/12/09 | GOP Mike

[gopmike.com]

To my Conservative Friends:

I have been receiving emails and phone calls over the past week from my Conservative and liberal friends alike saying to me - "Mike - You gotta see Gran Torino!!"

So, in the middle of the snow storm on Saturday night, I trekked out to see the film I had heard so much about...

The film is about a man named Walt Kowalski, a 70-something, cranky Korean War Vet who lives in a mid-west neighborhood that has been steadily changing to a Black/Asian community. Walt, living alone now after his wife's death, is one of the last "white guys" in the community and is an extremely old-school guy with a very, very non-Politically-Correct attitude and he doesn't give a shi- who knows about it.. In fact, I don't think Walt ever heard of the term "politically correct".

Those of you who regularly read my articles know that I ....

[the invisib1e hand]

However, I am sure it won't be because Eastwood, a Republican, is not your typical Hollyweird liberal and the movie portrays a Conservative as the hero and Hollywood abhors anything that makes Conservatives look positive....

Sort of dubious about the "mercy killing" schtick in his other big movie.

[mkjessup]

You convinced me Mike, Gran Turino is now on my ‘see it next’ list.

And a belated ‘Welcome to FR’ to you, and Happy New Year!

Best,

MKJ

[mkjessup]

argh, “Turino” = “Torino” ... frack, I need coffee!

[Doogle]

It will probably be Eastwood's final film in a glorious career that should end with his first Academy Award in, what is arguably, his best performance ever...

...he's a republican, and people are surprised he never won an Academy Award

[lentulusgracchus]

I think it shows that we need strong leaders who take charge and are not afraid to "offend anyone" and its shows liberalism as a failed social experiment that should be abandoned once and for all...

I disagree. The denouement is classic liberalism in action, involving sacrifice (at two or three levels) of the protagonist's self-interest and that of his blood relations, in favor of strangers some of whom don't even speak the language.

It's Moulin Rouge meets The Shootist meets Omega Man. But it's liberal. Eastwood's non-PC demeanor is window dressing, eye candy for the rubes, a step-right-up-and-grab-you-a-big-steaming-hunk-of-liberal-virtue invitation to conservatives to give over and recognize the moral au-thor-i-tye! [</Cartman>] of the liberal message. Clint is America, and his neighbors are Darfur, look at it that way.

[Blue Turtle]

Another gem in Clint Eastwood’s movie legacy. This film should win all awards. His acting and directing are unmatched. Great supporting cast...and there is not much violence at all, it is a story about the state of the world...a generational message that seems to say: our grandparents may have actually knew more than we do now.

[Vaquero]

you know, I have the very same 72 gran torino in the back yard (it belongs to my kids) and a brace of Garands in the safe. I may put them together to make that cool, dark movie poster, with this old fart holding said M1 in the foreground.

[midwyf]

Thanks, hard to tell how long it will be before it will be on DVD, and the nearest movie theaters are 50 miles away in Cody.

[Vaquero]

[SJSAMPLE]

Waaaaaay overblown by the True Believers.

It was a great movie.
Nothing more conservative about a person controlling their life AND death.

[mkjessup]

Another gem in Clint Eastwood’s movie legacy. This film should win all awards. His acting and directing are unmatched. Great supporting cast...and there is not much violence at all, it is a story about the state of the world...a generational message that seems to say: our grandparents may have actually knew more than we do now.

You got that right. All one has to do is to pick up a copy of one of Eastwood's early big hits, the original 'Dirty Harry' and watch not the gunplay, but the political commentary. Eastwood was savaging the liberal establishment even in '71.

Eastwood might not be as conservative as say, Ronald Reagan but he is (in my opinion) more reliably conservative than Juan McRINO. I don't agree with all of Eastwoods' opinions, but I think he's got something worthwhile to say in 99 percent of his film work.

Another one of his best films in my book, is 'A Perfect World' (1993).

[Renegade]

Sort of like “ Falling Down”?

[the invisib1e hand]

Nothing more conservative about a person controlling their life AND death.

Interesting assertion. How do define "conservative?" Your definition seems to contain hints of either deity or atheism.

[wyowolf]

Wife and I saw it at the premiere Friday night, absolutly loved it !! one of the better movies we have seen. Every racial epitaph was thrown in, and a few i never heard, and it was so funny. I think the girl was a great actress. Nice ending...
5 stars !!

[pissant]

His best work was with a monkey as a sidekick.

[Blue Turtle]

Interesting...I hung on to every word he spoke in that movie...and waited with anticipation on what he was going to say next. I do not know of any of today’s actors who can pull off such a feat....

[ml/nj]

I was in Cody once. Saw the fourth of July parade with Senator Simpson riding in/on some car deep in the middle of the procession.

ML/NJ

[wita]

I don’t have my WY map in front of me, but 50 miles to Cody in any direction, is out there. Pretty country compared to the most boring drive in America. Evanston to Rawlins on I-80, which is where I’ll be today. The speed limit should be 100 mph minimum so it’s over in a hurry and no one falls asleep.

[Publius Valerius]

It will probably be Eastwood's final film in a glorious career that should end with his first Academy Award in, what is arguably, his best performance ever...

He's won four Oscars, two each for director and picture. He hasn't won for acting, which I guess is what you meant.