When the mailman arrived with the most recent addition to my Netflix queue, I was really excited.  Since entering his “twilight” years, Clint Eastwood has proven to be a formidable director (and, of course, his acting has remained as solid as ever).  I loved both Mystic River and Million Dollar Baby, so I had nothing but high expectations for his latest project, Gran Torino.

So, after having just watched the movie, what do I think about Eastwood’s latest?

You’re about to witness a flowersflix.com first: Gran Torino has easily earned a score of 10 out of 10, making it the first film I’ve reviewed for this website that I consider worthy of “masterpiece” status.  It’s the perfect blend of powerful storytelling and Eastwood’s subtle, meditative, and often shockingly candid commentary on the brutal existence that so many must deal with in contemporary America.  Though his recent offerings are certainly great, Gran Torino cements Eastwood’s status as an artist capable of crafting a masterpiece.

The star of the film, of course, is Eastwood himself.  He takes on the role of Walt Kowalski, a grizzled old war vet who’s seen it all.  At the start of the film, Kowalski is incredibly bitter, and it’s clear that he instantly classifies everyone he encounters based on their appearance.  Walt is racism and bigotry personified.  In his gruff voice, he mutters slurs under his breath as his Hmong neighbors go about their daily activities, and he has no problem with openly berating anyone who opposes his ideals.  Although Walt’s voice may seem a little over-the-top–perhaps even Batman-esque–at first, it completely meshes with his personality and demonstrated personal habits.  He smokes, dips, and spends his days drinking Pabst Blue Ribbon on his front porch while sizing up everyone who passes his house (and, of course, it’s evident that he’s engaged in this sort of lifestyle for quite some time).

His strained relationship with his family, though disheartening, is somewhat justified–they’re all just waiting for him to die so they can inherit his possessions.  This is obvious from the opening scene, where Walt watches youngsters as they enter the church where his wife’s funeral is taking place.  One teen is wearing a Detroit Lions jersey, the other a low-cut midriff.  When Walt notices this, he literally growls (there’s no other way to describe his guttural sounds).  Walt’s prejudice certainly isn’t helped by the fact that he lives in a neighborhood where gang bangers are plentiful, and they demonstrate nothing but disrespect for people of his generation.

After a run-in with a teenage neighbor, Walt’s personality and overall approach to life slowly begins to change.  More is revealed about his past, and we begin to understand that he is a man with some genuinely disturbing skeletons in his closet.  The characterization here is subtle but brilliant, with the perfect tidbits being revealed at just the right moments.  It’s both sobering and accessible, as we all likely know someone who resembles Walt Kowalski in more ways than we’d care to admit.  This deceptively brief film unapologetically tackles the ugly side of the “melting pot.”

That’s really all I want to say about the movie itself, as I think its relevance and application are readily apparent and should speak for themselves through the experience of having viewed the movie.  If you haven’t seen it yet, go out and buy it right now.  It’s not the sort of flick that you’ll want to watch every day, but you will want to have it handy when friends are visiting and, when asked if they’ve seen Gran Torino, respond, “Why, no–we haven’t.”

But that’s enough from me.  Go buy Gran Torino immediately.

out of 5

–Chris Flowers

Rated R for language throughout, and some violence.