Crying over Gran Torino

I watched the first Clint Eastwood movie that made me cry today. He was gruff, tough, and rough. He was typically Clint, albeit elderly. And I cried like a baby. For those of you who have already seen Gran Torino, then you know why I cried. For those who have not, well, your loss. Go rent it at your local video store.

Clint plays a widower, Walt, with children and grandchildren too busy to spend time with him. Their father/grandfather is not the most lovable man, but Walt's family prefers to live self-centered lives only popping in or calling when he can do something for them. Walt argues with his priest (not always a bad thing) and talks like a bigot. He has his own ideas about manhood, parenting, race, and religion. He is old enough that he says what he thinks without saving one's feelings.

You can tell from the get-go that Walt does not like change. Why stay in the same neighborhood for forty years when everyone else just like him, a retired Ford autoworker, has moved away? He is surrounded by Asian neighbors. The family next door has a big-mouth daughter and wimpy son who is doing his best to avoid gang life. When the young man is forced to participate (half-heartedly) in a gang initiation by attempting to steal Walt's 1972 Gran Torino, Walt catches him. The friendship begins.

Walt, who was a soldier in the Korean War, has to confront his prejudices, and his neighbors have to confront their fears. The film is just tough enough and just real enough to interest you in the everyday lives of the characters, wondering how the decisions they do or do not make will affect their lives the next day. Wait on the ending; the last five minutes are the most important.

When I turned off my DVD, I wondered if I could ever make the decision Walt made to loyally stand by his friend and stand up for those who are unable to defend themselves. I was reminded of John 15:13: "Greater love hath no man than this..."

This film is not intended for young children, and I do not know many teens mature enough to understand the tensions in the film. It is rated R for a reason. One final caveat--if you cannot contextualize offensive language, then do not watch this film.