Gran Torino
Saturday, July 18th, 2009I’ve been meaning to see Gran Torino for a while now, though not out of a desire to actually see the film – instead just to see what all the hype was about. Clint Eastwood has never been too convincing an actor for me; his whole persona is in the same category as Schwarzenegger’s “I’ll be back” schtick.
As far as I’m concerned, Gran Torino continues that tradition, and includes others into it as well. For all the rave reviews the film has recieved, the acting was terrible. The story line, however, was fairly good – and made up for where the acting fell short.
A number of juxtapositions occur throughout the film, including the main character being called by his first name by nearly everyone he wishes would call him Mr. Kowalski. This somewhat recalls the symbolic nature of one’s name being changed following a “conversion” of sorts.
The town’s young priest is included in those who cannot seem to give him enough respect, and struggles to help him become a part of the church. Walt Kowalski’s neighbors, however, continually embrace him in tangible representations of love, despite his continually apparent – and rather flagrant – racism.
Gran Torino presents Mr. Kowalski as someone who had taken life in a time of war, but ultimately lays down his life in an effort to end the cycle of violence in his neighborhood, in order to “set others free.” René Girard (and, for that matter, John Howard Yoder) would be proud of Gran Torino’s concept of sacrifice, as one of Wally’s final lines is
I finish things.
And notice how be lies dead in the middle of the neighborhood.
