View Full Version : Gran Torino
geminidglocker
12-10-09, 20:42
This movie had a real effect on me. I just saw it last week but it had a profound effect on me. My Grandfather reminded me of Mr. Kawalski.
Haha great movie, the trailer and the movie are totally different lol I love the racist lines in the movie :D
One of my favorites.. Clint was at his best, yea the racist lines were a hoot in the delivery.
It must get better as it goes; it'd have to I guess.
I got to about 4 minutes after he finds his granddaughter smoking in the garage and thought, "OK, can't do anymore of this."
Watched Gangland instead.
Guess it's a case of YMMV.
Jay Cunningham
12-10-09, 22:27
Fantastic film. Gave me a new appreciation for PBR.
:D
KS Trekker
12-10-09, 22:38
I really enjoyed the movie. There was a good message about character, honor, and respect. The main character was tragically flawed (blatant racist) but he never compromised his values and he did the right thing in the end. Nice movie, Clint!
Great movie and very realistic portrayal of the Hmong people. You really need to give it another chance 11Bravo. The interaction or should I say lack there of between Clint's character and the Hmong Grandmother was classic.
Amazing movie. I can't really add anything else except that I loved it.
This movie had a real effect on me. I just saw it last week but it had a profound effect on me. My Grandfather reminded me of Mr. Kawalski.
I thought the same thing. My father's father was in the war in Korea enlisted in the Army and he had many of the same views. I saw many similarities in the relationship with his kids in the fact that my grandfather didn't have much contact with my father or my uncle after they went to college except for farming and the holidays. They were men of few words and I don't think my grandfather ever made calls to them over the phone.
My grandfather had a chest downstairs in the basement where he kept most of his firearms and memorabelia from the war etc. My cousin and I as kids would try to pick the lock on the chest to look at the photos, patches, 1911's and rifles. Very rarely did he ever show us those goodies. It would generally only be during the times where family members got him firearms or if we begged him to take us out to the range he built for the local police department to shoot.
I just saw the movie on HBO for the first time myself this past weekend and had many a flashback of my grandfather. I personally thought there were many great one liners and in the end a good message. Even though one may have some flaws in their beliefs at heart they sure are great men. I truly feel war changes a man forever especially when he has killed many times. I know my other grandfather had a very hard time after coming home from the pacific after WWII and adjusting to just everyday life without random breakdowns and nightmares. It's unfortunate that our society today tries to emulate a very different persona and idolizes movie stars and singers and the whole Hollyweird mentality instead of family and real role models.
Loved the movie, hated the ending.
"These guys will be away for a long time..." is in no way justice for killing an elderly war hero. Sad that such a potentially great movie had to have a PC ending.
Guess I still have Death Wish and Taxi Driver on DVD.
DocHolliday01
12-10-09, 23:39
My thoughts exactly. I wanted to see him "go out in a Blaze of Glory"
I thought the same thing at first. He should have gone out fighting. But there was more to it than that.
He knew he was going to die no matter what. He could either go out fighting and solve nothing or he could do what he did and maybe teach the people to take a stand for themselves. If he just killed the guys, others would come in and take their place. This way the people would make their own lives better.
I thought the same thing at first. He should have gone out fighting. But there was more to it than that.
He knew he was going to die no matter what. He could either go out fighting and solve nothing or he could do what he did and maybe teach the people to take a stand for themselves. If he just killed the guys, others would come in and take their place. This way the people would make their own lives better.
I caught all that too.
However justice was still not served as "doing time" does not equal "taking a life." It was a horrible message.
As for teaching people to "take a stand", where the hell were they earlier when the gangs were taking over. Why didn't they take a stand when young girls get raped and beaten?
And if the old guy killed em off that would send a much bigger message. Message being you can get killed pulling that crap around here. People could have learned to take a stand from that as well.
It was all just PC horseshit.
Agree with Steyr, I think a stronger message would have been" !@#$ around, and you won't be around!" Clint should always go out fighting.
Agree with Steyr, I think a stronger message would have been" !@#$ around, and you won't be around!" Clint should always go out fighting.
Specially when you got nothing to lose really. Should have punched all their cards and taken the life sentence.
SWATcop556
12-11-09, 02:48
One of my favorite Clint Eastwood movies. Right up there with The Outlaw Jose Wales.
one of the best movies i have ever seen.
Great movie... Gotta love the line "you ever run into one of those guys that you shouldn't have f'dd with...I'm that guy"...:D
Fantastic movie! One of the few I've bothered to go see in the theater and didn't regret.
Gutshot John
12-11-09, 07:50
I disagree, as real life it might have ended differently, but it was a movie and Eastwood was trying to tell HIS story. It might not have been the story some here would have written but it was far more powerful this way, he didn't want to remake Unforgiven.
As a shining example of cinematic art, and that's clearly what it was, the movie couldn't have ended any other way.
If Kowalski had gone down shooting, they would have killed him, then they would have come after the boy and his family.
He laid down his life for a buddy. He viewed it as war and he chose a strategic rather than tactical victory.
SWATcop556
12-11-09, 07:58
I disagree, as real life it might have ended differently, but it was a movie and Eastwood was trying to tell HIS story. It might not have been the story some here would have written but it was far more powerful this way, he didn't want to remake Unforgiven.
As a shining example of cinematic art, and that's clearly what it was, the movie couldn't have ended any other way.
If Kowalski had gone down shooting, they would have killed him, then they would have come after the boy and his family.
He laid down his life for a buddy. He viewed it as war and he chose a strategic rather than tactical victory.
Very well put and I agree.
I disagree, as real life it might have ended differently, but it was a movie and Eastwood was trying to tell HIS story. It might not have been the story some here would have written but it was far more powerful this way, he didn't want to remake Unforgiven.
As a shining example of cinematic art, and that's clearly what it was, the movie couldn't have ended any other way.
If Kowalski had gone down shooting, they would have killed him, then they would have come after the boy and his family.
He laid down his life for a buddy. He viewed it as war and he chose a strategic rather than tactical victory.
Very well stated GSJ, totally nailed it.
ForTehNguyen
12-11-09, 09:19
remember he had some medical tests come in, maybe he had cancer or some disease and he was going to die anyways
I disagree, as real life it might have ended differently, but it was a movie and Eastwood was trying to tell HIS story. It might not have been the story some here would have written but it was far more powerful this way, he didn't want to remake Unforgiven.
As a shining example of cinematic art, and that's clearly what it was, the movie couldn't have ended any other way.
If Kowalski had gone down shooting, they would have killed him, then they would have come after the boy and his family.
He laid down his life for a buddy. He viewed it as war and he chose a strategic rather than tactical victory.
Exactly right. He laid down his life for a friend. He new he was not going to live long, and he wanted to give something to "Toad" that he was unable to give to his sons. Not only did he give him a bright future, but I think he had a more meaningful relationship over a short time with Toad than he did with his adult sons.
The movie was simple increadible. I honestly think it was one of the best movies of all time. From the humor or his racist one liners it takes you into a real dark place and ultimatly the hero's death. Its hard to find a movie these days that actualy takes you somewhere, makes you fallow and brings you to a totaly unespcted place in the end.
I was so pissed it got totaly snubbed at the Oscars, but I guess those PC #^@&^$% in Hollywood cant deal with a few off colored comments.
Oh well. Deff. up there as one of the best movies of all time, at least for me
geminidglocker
12-11-09, 11:43
I disagree, as real life it might have ended differently, but it was a movie and Eastwood was trying to tell HIS story. It might not have been the story some here would have written but it was far more powerful this way, he didn't want to remake Unforgiven.
As a shining example of cinematic art, and that's clearly what it was, the movie couldn't have ended any other way.
If Kowalski had gone down shooting, they would have killed him, then they would have come after the boy and his family.
He laid down his life for a buddy. He viewed it as war and he chose a strategic rather than tactical victory.
Yup, as stated previously, you nailed it. It is similar to the ending of the movie, "The Last Castle", Self sacrifice.
Great movie... Gotta love the line "you ever run into one of those guys that you shouldn't have f'dd with...I'm that guy"...:D
That is a great line.
C4
I wanted to see a mutual slaying at the end were Walt kills all the gang and is mortally wounded.
M1 Garand vs. MAC 10
If Kowalski had gone down shooting, they would have killed him, then they would have come after the boy and his family.
Yeah if he simply walked into the gauntlet (pun) announcing he was there to kill everyone. Or with a little planning he could have easily gotten them all and passed away of natural causes before it ever even went to trial.
As for gang member retaliation, they will gun for people for setting them up just the same as they would for anything else. Gang bangers don't have a "we were in the wrong" code of ethics.
Normally I wouldn't watch a movie like this more than once, but this is a great flick so I've watched it 3 times in the last week. IMHO, it's easily Clint's best work.
rocket 442
12-11-09, 19:11
reminds me of 'The Shootist" with John Wayne.
Gutshot John
12-11-09, 20:43
Yeah if he simply walked into the gauntlet (pun) announcing he was there to kill everyone.
Which is pretty much what he did.
It's a movie, and a really good one. Enjoy it for what it is not for what you want it to be.
For myself I prefer an unexpected ending that was more satisfying than just another shoot-em-up.
Which is pretty much what he did.
It's a movie, and a really good one. Enjoy it for what it is not for what you want it to be.
For myself I prefer an unexpected ending that was more satisfying than just another shoot-em-up.
Of course that is what he did. I was noting that, just saying if he wanted to take em out and come out on top he could have done that as well with a little planning.
And like I said, I really liked the movie. It was really good, just had a cop out PC "killing scum is beneath the good guy" mentality.
For example, when he rescued Sue from the homeboys he pulled a gun on them. I'm assuming he was willing to kill them even though they weren't armed (although disparity of strength does justify it) or you don't pull a gun. And this is over some sexual harassment, with the possible threat of rape or injury.
But he isn't willing to kill gun toting, gang banging rapists who have already done far worse than the three black kids?!? Just makes zero sense.
Of course we can chalk it up to "it's a movie", but that discrepancy in character just doesn't work for me. It was just such a powerful movie up to that point. Would have been better if he had managed to orchestrate the hispanic gang and the Hmong gang to take each other out or something along those lines.
I just watch this the other night and Loved it ..one of the best movies I have seen in a while
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