Not only would Walt be recast as the villain, but a racist activist group would kill him to the celebration of the neighborhood due to the bias of the directors and producers. So basically a sincere version of Springtime for Hitler, only it's reality because Hollywood is that woke.
@@juanmanuelpenaloza9264 Up and Gran Torino were both produced around the same time.."Up" was released a year later, but I would think production of an animated film would take a bunch more time.
What's great is that Walt realizes that these foreigners are much like him: wrapped in their traditions and disparaging the younger generations that have lost sight of what made their people so great. What's also great is that he doesn't fully change as evidenced by the very end, but he becomes better and good enough. There's a lot un-PC dialogue, but it feels very realistic. There are Walts and people that talk like him everywhere in the world. This is one of Clint's finest films, maybe even his last gem.
Grew up in a town almost identical to this. It isn't just "realistic." I got to watch this happen in real life, though the ending was a bit different. A few gangbangers with pistols vs an entire neighborhood (older Hmong men included) armed to the teeth. The Second Amendment "militia" in practice. The people don't change, they just accept other cultures. In the Midwest, there are festivals that celebrate all the different cultures and everyone can participate. We grew up celebrating "Hmong" New year. I only found out about "Chinese" or "Lunar" New Year in college. We went to Hmong New Year, they came to Oktoberfest. Win-win! Also, a lot of the slurs have two sides. The first is a genuine insult. The second is a brotherly jab showing affection. From the outside, it can be hard to tell the difference. Remember what Walt (Polish), the Barber (Italian), and the Construction worker (Irish) all say to each other, but those slurs are never mentioned. That is how it is even today in a good chunk of the "blue collar" Midwest...at least among friends.
"There's a lot un-PC dialogue, but it feels very realistic." The one thing that might not fit in there as completely realistic is Walt using "Spook" as a derogatory term for blacks, when you know if it were real life he'd be using something else entirely.
@@SpaceJawa I think Walt would say spook instead of the n word. He most likely lived with/fought and bled next to black, brown, and white men during his service and in Korea. That definitely changes how a man sees his fellow man. Was Walt racist? Yes. Did Walt hate black people? My opinion is no (grey area, I know). I think spook, mick, heeb,cracker, etc more-so fall into the loosely "joking while still holding certain biased beliefs" category. Certain other words and actions fall into the hateful and dangerous category for sure. In this 32 year old, white guy's opinion of course 🤙
I love while there's a total language barrier between Tao's Grandmother and Walt, and they superficially dislike each other, they ultimately really respect each other.
@@SpaceJawa Spook was quite common. I remember, long ago, reading a book by a black author titled "The Spook Who Sat By The Door". It was a clever title because this was about a black CIA operative. A 'Spook' is also a common slang name for a CIA agent. So....double meaning.
The moment where Grandma out spits Walt it is such a perfect moment in the movie because it's one of the major moments that starts Walt into respecting his neighbors instead of viewing them as avatars of the soldiers he had to fight. :D
How can you have played a main role in a movie about how a man overcomes his racism and not get the gist of this movie? Social justice really does rot brains.
Whatever. That's why Tao doesn't have a career outside of this movie 🙄 He should thank Clint for his fortunate opportunity in the FIRST place. Also the DRINKER rules! 🍸
I also like that while Walt absolutely had his flaws and casual racism, he also has valuable things to teach and pass on, like the pride that comes with owning and keeping your home in good condition, knowing how to be self sufficient and do your own repairs, and how to take pride in your work. Lessons this generation sorely lack.
It's Walt's realization that he has more in common with the Hmong neighbors who have moved into the neighborhood than his own children that is really telling in the movie. That's the moment where he starts to warm up to his neighbors and sees them more as people instead of avatars of the soldiers he had to kill. Well that, and the moment when Granny out spits him while they're both on the porch.
I say this all the time to people my own age and I rarely get listened to. Older people might disagree with you about some things, but there's invaluable lessons to be learned if you just listen. Everyone is just so desperate to isolate themselves from alternative viewpoints that they ignore all of a person's virtues if they MIGHT have the 'wrong' opinion, and they throw the baby out with the bathwater.
Well the lack of knowledge in turn for stupid woke politics is being done on purpose. The nwo owns Hollywood. They want a dumb down Marxist divided yet hive mind homogenous bland dead slave society.
@@bigduke2140 not everything is. Hell, not even the majority of goods are made to be irreparable. The simple fact is that today's generation, when compared to previous generations, knows very, very little about basic mechanics, tools, home maintenance, etc. And yes, I know there is a vibrant DIY subculture, but it's a SUBculture. And before you call me an out-of-touch boomer, I'm a Millennial. I know what I speak of because I grew up in the generation that I'm talking about, and watched the generation immediately after me grow up to be an even more extreme example of it. My generation, on the whole (because yes, there are always outliers and exceptions to every generational trend) places far more value on technology and high tech toys and internet slacker culture than it does old fashioned, hands-on, blue collar type living.
The scene where the sister shows up after having been raped is one of the most emotional scenes in any movie I've ever seen. It leaves you horrified and furious and ready to do bodily harm to other humans. Gran Torino is an absolute MASTERFUL movie at controlling the emotions of it's audience. The fact that the idiot kid decided to come out years later trying to cancel Clint Eastwood is insane. He turned out to be a nobody outside of this movie... and he just wanted his 15 minutes of fame back.
I love how that kid acts like he was either forced at gunpoint to take part in the movie, or simply didn't notice how "racist" it was. If you didn't notice then it couldn't be that bad. If you did notice you're just as much to blame!
He acts like it was only Asians that had slurs against them.. I recall jokes about blacks, the polish, the Irish, and the Italians. All the worst slurs too in that movie. It was a great movie because it was unappologetic.
First time I saw this movie in the theater with my wife I said out loud "oh my God, someone followed my father around with a camera for 6 months and recorded everything he said". Seriously, my Dad is gone over 10 years now and I still watch this movie and can picture him, a veteran of Korea as well, speaki g and behaving the same way as Walt. This movie is a masterpiece and it is an accurate representation of our culture, both the good and the bad and the lesson of redemption.
I need to find a good list of movies that cancel culture will try to erase. I need to make sure I add them to my collection if they aren’t already. Got to get all them Clint Eastwood and Mel Gibson movies while you can. I’m sure any movie with a story about fighting for freedom will be banned eventually. Damn, maybe we should actually fight for freedom so we don’t have to worry about movies disappearing.
No actor/director can come within a light years of Clint Eastwood's resume. I watched this when it came out and it easily fits into his top 10, which alone is some achievement.
Clint Eastwood has no acting range but if anyone ever claims that any movie star has ever been cooler than he was in the dollars trilogy they're a moron. He's a one note actor but damn does he crush that one note.
Hmong people love this film. You can look up clips from this movie and see Hmong people praise this film in the comment sections. Not only did it give us that representation ( that every race whines about), it addressed the very real gang problem our communities have.
Not to mention the family in the story are such likable, good natured people. Coming from a Mexican family it very much felt familiar in many ways, including the extended family cookout.
Most of my Hmong friends loved it. Then again, we all grew up in a Midwestern mill town similar to the neighborhood in the movie, with a ton of old hardworking veterans (both US and Hmong), so... The saddest part to me, I am not bullshitting here, is that people outside of the West Coast and Northern Midwest (which is where most Hmong immigrated to) actually believe the "Hmong" in the movie are a stereotype of East Asians in general and they don't actually exist... ...though it was a bit fun for me, a Xiong, and two Thaos (one a girl all of 4'6") asking half a college classroom if they wanted to take it out back because they said the Hmong weren't real, but a stand-in for Laotian and Vietnamese immigrants. The soyboys and purple-hairs opted out of that.
@@samuelzuleger5134 I'm kinda stunned people think the Hmong aren't real. I never really heard of them prior to this movie but it didn't seem like something made up just for the film. Doesn't seem to be Eastwood's style.
@@BlueSatoshi For whatever reason, a lot of people in the US just don't understand how diverse the rest of the world is in general. They don't know the difference between Africans from Ethiopia and Namibia, and think Asia is the Middle East, India, China, and Japan with few ethnic differences. No cultural or geographic education despite what teachers say. As such, they thought the "Hmong" were a stand in for Han Chinese or Japanese. Though, to be fair, the ones who were the most ardent about it were from the US South or East, where there simply aren't as many Asians in general. I mean, if not for the Hispanic agriculture immigrants, I wouldn't know much difference between a Puerto Rican, Mexican and Honduran.
@@samuelzuleger5134 I always hear public education here's shit, but having gone to a private school growing up, I'm not sure just how bad it is. Or at least, my mind's having difficulty comprehending it.
I'm Asian and I love this film. It shows how an old man who seems irredeemable is saved through opening up himself to people around him, especially the Hmong brother and sister next door. I love how they embrace him at his ugliest that he allows himself to be a much more loving person that he really is. My fav film to watch almost every month.
My favorite scene is the funeral at the end when the priest tells everyone that Walt referred to him as an over educated 27 year old virgin holding the hands of superstitious old ladies.
I think there's an inherent flaw in the perception of this film by "modern" audiences. Walt wasn't bigoted..he talked hard, but that was the extent of it. If the Walt character came across a bloodied (insert race/sex/age/whatever here) person lying in the street he'd render assistance as needed regardless of that person's differences..he was an equal-opportunity hardcase, and he'd give any male shit while treating any woman with respect.. This is what men of Walt's era did. Walt wasn't "redeemed." He made peace with himself over wartime actions, honored his wife's dying wish, and ultimately made friends with and defended a neighbor..he'd already done that with every other ethnicity in the film, as witnessed by his friendships with the barber, bartender, and construction worker..
So true. These days if you mention someone's race while you're busting their chops or pissed off at them it's automatically assumed that you're racist. When the truth is that my grandfather said things that would co.e across as racist today but he'd give the shirt off his back to anyone of any race, if needed. Wasn't a racist bone in his body. He was just a hardcase. He probably did more for people of other races than than any "anti-racist" activist alive today. But not because of skin color, only because they were human and it was the right thing to do.
@@OctoberCrow1701 I hope to visit it someday. I particularly like the saying about being able to see six kingdoms from Snaefell on a clear day: the Isle of Man, England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and Heaven.
The great shame is that I have a former friend who refused to watch Gran Torino because he'd seen a compilation video called "The growler", which combined all the times that Clint Eastwood growled or grumbled in the movie into one video, which made my former friend absolutely refuse to watch the movie. I think that former friend of mine is a miserable hypocritical jerk who should learn to judge movies by their quality instead of a 5-minute compilation of grumbling that makes sense in context.
@@hariman7727 Wholeheartedly Agree with you. It’s his loss for not experiencing some of the most incredible films ever, whether in front or behind the camera.
When Walt brings Thao to Martin's barber shop is one of the best scenes ever. They teach him (and us) that the greater half of communication is context, and to give as good as you get instead of jumping to personal insult.
on the side note I'm Polish and one of my best friends is Italian and this is his favorite scene in the movie as well. There was a time when about half of our communication looked like that. Light hearted ethnic stereotypes make the fun insult part of male bonding so much easier :)
I was saddened when I heard of the young cat that had now turned against this wonderful film that's ironically very much about letting go of one's preconceived ideas about other ethnicities and their worldviews and embracing the intrinsic worth of all of humanity. Glad to hear the Drinker giving the film its due praise. Time for a rewatch methinks!
My sisters friend approached Clint Eastwood at a bar in Los Angeles and said, "I know I probably shouldn't do this but..." He cut her off and said "you should probably go with that feeling". He then promply got up and walked away. I'm going to give him a pass on that one cuz he's a fucking Legend.
He's a massive prick like that. He kicked his long time producing friend Fritz Manes to the curb just because Fritz let it be known Clint was a lifeguard during the Korean War. Apparently an unforgivable sin (around the time he was making Heartbreak Ridge and posing as a combat vet Marine)
I can't speak for other Asians on the internet but i found the witty slangs hilarious. There was always a morbid but ironically historical meaning in them. Tbh the only people i find being offended by slang and deragatoy comments are teachers enforcing order on campus or karens out of skin color.
RomanceR 19 years ago Racial/national/ethnic stereotypes have been a part of human history as long into history as you want to go. You can find Roman jokes and ethnic slurs buried in archaeological sites all over Europe. In part, these sorts of "humor" are a strength and character test. If subjected to such an insult somebody flies into a rage then they don't have self confidence and are not somebody you can count on in a pinch. But if, instead of flying into a rage, they come back with a clever appropriate response and smile then, that person has strength and self confidence and, most likely can be counted on. In reality, all this discrimination against such humor is, turning us all into emotional two year olds. "Whaaaaa, Whaa, you made fun of me. Whaaaaaaaaa!" My background is Scottish on both sides of my family. I can you some great Scottish jokes!
@@r.blakehole932 Let's not romanticize slurs based on stereotypes either. Just because people get offended over tiniest thing and exaggerate their reaction on social media to virtue signal, doesn't mean that all behaviours of that type are ok not a big deal. The type of dynamic that you are describing is very context specific, most likely to occur within established group of friends, maybe new comrade of different origin (be it race, country or even region within the same country) joins them and is being "tested" (scenario you described reminds me of Jordan Peterson's "Lunchbox" story) to see if he not some emotional, unstable baby. But if the same kind of slurs are used in a random situation with strangers, it most likely than not is done to simply show off in front of others, put someone down or just show them they are not welcomed here. They also perpetuate negative stereotypes, which might be true for some, but never for all, which is why we started seeing them as not acceptable (unless used in a joke or, again, among group of friends) as our understanding of how common language contributes to shaping people's views, beliefs and as a result, behaviour.
@@kalash_nikov Well that's one of the lessons of the movie. when Clint character teachs Tau how to speak to the barber, because they are all in good terms and can take the heat.
the ending is beautiful because walt's family look disinterested and apathetic at the reading of his will, his grand daughter even excited because shes convinced herself that shes entitled to his car, whereas tao inherits the gran torino that started it all off and hes heart broken to have lost a father figure
Thao and Sue even dressed up in ceremonial Hmong garb out of respect for Walt’s passing, and both are devastated during his funeral. Marvelous writing on Eastwood’s part that’s for damn sure
It is perfect. And I don’t see how anyone can be offended by racism here, he changes his perspective and adjusts his affection to what his moral compass says. As CD said, the early bigotry had to be honest and told, helping give gravitas to how impacting he feels his neighbours are - he’s done it before, he lays on the usual glaze, but then strips back all the layers of BS to show the bare essentials of humans.
The virtue signaling crowd's criticism of Gran Torino is precisely what is wrong with this woke culture. It leaves no room for redemption. The whole point, as Critical Drinker points out, is that the story is about a person going through a journey of reform. How are you supposed to reform if you have no flaws in the first place? This is woke culture in a nutshell. They expect one to be morally unblemished from the start and perfectly enlightened from the get go. Based on this naïve notion of human nature, there would be no cinema nor great storytelling because without a redemptive arc there is no conflict.
No one should ever appologize to woke culture for anything . Those people will call you all kind of racist things, if you done share in the same delusion. They are the modern day racists
What Clint does at the end to help the boy and family was a unpredictable and such a giant selfless act. I couldn't predict how he took down that entire gang to make that family safe from it.
The value of redemption can never be understated in a movie like “Grand Torino”. It is hard.... very hard to do right. This movie got it right. It isn’t a perfect redemption, but it is there for all to see. This character that is so well played by Clint Eastwood is terribly flawed. By the end of the movie, you know there are still flaws, but those are mitigated and he has a new understanding and a new attitude. We even get to see a bit of a new sense of humor in him. Not much, but just a hint of him before the war stole it from him. This movie is an outstanding screenplay done near perfectly by the stellar acting. It is painful and a pleasure to watch. Thank you, Drinker, for taking some time away from Tatiana to make this outstanding video. Well done, kind sir. I’ll go away now.
I admire the man for his talents as an actor and a director. You don't ahve to agree wtih his politics to love his work, hell, that should be IRRELEVANT! An actor's personl life shouldn't matter. As long as it's nothing illegal their personal life is no one else's business. This is a great film. He's a broken man and becomes better by the end. Why is that so hard to do these days?
I remember seeing a review shortly after I watched the film. The gist of it was basically Walt's wrongthink was unforgivable, and the fact that he's redeemed makes this fascist propaganda. Forget about it not being made today, the movie was probably nearly killed as it was being made.
I saw this film about a year after my dad passed away. I rented it from the video store and this was the first time I started looking at smaller character dramas and the themes of what we leave behind. Great movie!
i went alone to the theater to see this one when it came out, and i was astounded. it was such an awesome movie and is still one of my all-time favorites. clint is the man and this screenplay is a work of art. it's simple, painful, beautiful, and epic. worth every penny. i rewatch it every couple of years and love it every time. and yeah, i cry.......mostly because i'm always drunk. cheers.
This movie is a masterpiece. The proof that you don't need M.Bay explosions or Snyder's puke inducing camera work to produce top cinema entertainement. Just have believable characters and a good story, and you can be in my top 10 movies of all time, where Gran Torino belongs of course. I rewatch it like once a year and it's always a pleasure. When I first saw it in cinema i thought : "Finally a movie that's about reality". As my suspension of disbelief is very easily broken, i fucking love that this movie is flawless on that matter. Nothing unbelievable happens, but we still get all kinds of strong emotions during it. Thank you Mr Eastwood for making this beautiful piece of art.
@@minbari73 My answer didnt come through because i called you a male genitalia. You're either a troll or missing the point, either way i dont care what you think.
@@minbari73 If you like KOREAN gangs (where does that come from ?) watch "New World" or "Internal affairs" guys, both good korean movies about that. I'm not the drinker but i recommand. Go away now.
Perhaps one of the most meaningful, however logically counterintuitive, qualifiers for a truly great film is knowing you can watch it only very infrequently. They’re so well done, so moving that despite the fact you loved it, the ride is so intense that you know it will be a long time before you’re able to do it again. That is Gran Torino.
What a film, watched it about 6 months ago. I was blown away how brilliantly directed and acted it was, how sharp and meaningful the dialogue is and how well it is shot as well.
I teared up during this movie. Watching Clint Eastwood was like being around my granddad again. The barber shop scene was perfect. Very similar to what it was like being around him and his old navy friends.
...And while you're still laughing and processing that line, he throws out the next line "Cos you're a big fat pussy, that's why..." I was spilling my drink in the theater by then;
Just like some actresses do a few years after getting cast as in parts they no longer feel comfortable with....you read the script...you knew what was going on....you took the money.
Kind of hypocritical whan a) he took the money and b) being in the movie he should have known that that wasn't what the story is about. Also he conveniently ignores that the Hmong Grandma was also racist and through the film both she and Walt come to an understanding and give up their bigotry. The point was that anyone can have prejudices and be imperfect, but it doesn't mean they're automatically bad people who can't be redeemed.
The kid is pulling a James Cameron (nowadays he's virtue signaling a LOT by claiming that Ripley being in her panties in the ending of "Alien" is 'crossing the line' despite being the man behind True-watchJamieLeeCurtisstrip-Lies)
I watched this movie the second weekend it was out with my girlfriend of the time. This movie, is the most beautiful movie Eastwood has had anything to do with. I laughed, I cried like a freaking baby, my girlfriend did the same, and we left the theater stunned, and extremely happy to have experienced this movie on the big screen. The nearly 3 hour drive to take her home because of the snow was worth it. In my opinion, this is Eastwood's masterpiece of film.
I always felt that Unforgiven was Clint Eastwood's masterpiece until I watched Grand Torino... An absolutely wonderful piece of art that pulled and pulled at the heart and was so satisfying. A really great story, well told.
"Gran Torino got made, it's awesome, and it can never be undone no matter how much people complain about it." In a world where Gone With the Wind and the Muppets get content warnings and Dr. Seuss has been censored I'm not sure how you can seriously make this claim. I *want* you to be right, but I wouldn't exactly bet on it.
Buy a copy of it. That way you can always watch it. Even when all the bs streaming services don’t allow it and no copies of it are left. One of the last great movies from the cesspool known as Hollywood.
@AshCosgrove What about deadpool 2? I absolutely loved that movie and it was somewhat offensive, and making fun of woke culture at the same time with deadpool joking about cable being racist?? Trust me Gran Torino is one of my favourite movies, and while Hollywood has mostly gone to crap there’s still the odd good movie right?
@@AshCosgrove cesspool is right .. Amadeus, Das Boot, Jeremiah Johnson and Tombstone are some of my favorites back when good movies were written. CGI and pretty actors seem to have replaced grit, chemistry, cast and plot.
I still remember this movie even 13 years later. Some movies make a lasting impression, this was one of them. Thanks for giving it the spotlight it deserves.
A friend of mine from high school, Michael Judd, was Clint Eastwood's assistant director on several of his films. He was also an extra, and worked in other parts of his crew. A large part of Gran Torino was shot here in Michigan, so it must have been nice for Mike to work close to his family, but it was extra cool to see pics of him on social media of behind the scenes stuff from Gran Torino and other movies he was involved with, even if those movies turned out to be shit. Still, I think it's pretty cool to have "Two degrees of separation" to Clint Eastwood. heheheh
Ah, The Mule. One of those - the better things seem, the more that sinking feeling in your gut. Owning it at the end. Does it get more 'macho' then that?
I loved this film. This old Korean war veteran literally gave his life to save a kid who was a descendant of the very people he faught against all those years ago in order to save him from a life of crime and needless bloodshed. He was redeemed, and he paid the ultimate price to do it.
Back when I went to see this film, it almost gave me back some faith that Hollywood could actually still make God-Tier movies, and at the time I was right, but I was merely witnessing the crest of a very steep hill...
This was made just as Cinema died due to the heavy woke infusion it had been receiving. It was powerful, moving and that end shows you what sacrifice can really mean.
I saw this in the theater when it came out. Even better than the film is the interview with Eastwood at the time,man he doesn't cut anyone any slack. Too bad, everything thing he talks about came true. Excellent pick.
went into this movie not expecting much, walked away loving it. went right to amazon and purchased the bluray. a simply terrific film made by an extraordinary man.
That's pure bollocks, we all know that the Drinker was born with a half-empty bottle of whiskey in one hand and a fistful of pound notes for Tatiana in the other
This is my father's favorite movie of recent times, because it doesn't lie. He's not a military man or anything, just a hard-working Latino from south-south Texas that got thrown out at 19 for loving my mother, and they went and made a go of it. What he loves is honesty and reality, part of what's probably made his aspired career as a defense attorney work out so well for him. He's a hard man, but not heartless or cruel; mutual respect is something he encouraged me, and I wish I'd listened better in my youth. But yeah, this movie struck a chord with him, and I can always tell he's in tough emotional straits when he'll text me a quote and I'll be like, "Watching Gran Turino again, eh pops?". I oughta show him your channel, Drinker, you and he are of a mind in movies, only... he's a little lite-weight, I do the drinking for us both~
I think this is his best movie. He didn't really change, but put a human face on to what he despised. And he did what men do...in the end, he protected the weak, even if they were not someone he would normally have the time of day for....it was awesome.
I saw this back in 2009 and enjoyed it but I never could understand why this particular film got so much praise and attention but now being a decade older I fully understand and appreciate it far more than I did when I was younger.
The scene where Kowalski hands his protege Grip Pliers, Duct tape and a can of WD40 is one of the most touching, sensible and inspiring I've ever seen. No joke here. The lesson that, choosing wisely, you probably need much less than you think to get your s..t going is one never to forget.
Clint's legend grew exponentially. From actor and leading man, to director and writer. He even played a little jazz, or selectively chose certain musical pieces. My personal favorite is the fact he runs the most efficient movie production company in the western world. Everyone knows what to do, works well together, and finishes films in record time. This tells me Clint understands the meaning behind hiring the right people for the right jobs. Every interview I've seen or read by someone associated with his productions confirms this. (Leaving egotistical actors out of it)
Saw this movie once while on my own (business trip) and have watched it with friends and family many times to share the experience. Love this movie so much.
An EXCELLENT review of one of my top ten films EVER. A magnificent film of a hero making the ultimate sacrifice for a younger generation. All the more so that his true "children" are not his biological ones; but the ones of his redemption. As the fleeting illusion of life fades, Walt makes sure that whatever riches he has gained in this Dream will be passed along to those who need it the most and will be thankful for the gifts thus bequeathed.
It is excellent, although I didn't like the character of his grand-daughter, who for dramatic purposes had to be a villainess, but she wasn't convincingly written.
Ah, Lloyd, jolly good. When I saw it at the cinema I thought it was the best thing I’d seen in years, very fresh. But yes the granddaughter was a bit of a cartoon villain.
Agreed, she felt like more of a tool used to underline how genuine Thao and Walt's relationship was rather than a character in her own right. I have to admit to feeling a certain amount of smug satisfaction at seeing her face drop during the reading of the will though..
I have to disagree. The grand-daughter is incredibly realistic. I have a sister who has the exact same narcissistic personality, right down to her asking our father if she could have things when he died. Watching that character is uncanny and unnerving for me for that reason.
@@bluelivesmatter719 I'm terrified by the prospect that either Clint has met members of my family or more people with that personality type exist in the world. Probably the latter. I had the same reaction to many of the characters in Knives Out as well. It just shows how great the writing was in Gran Torino.
One of the great films. So glad you reviewed this. If anyone bothers to watch about 13 seconds of the film, you soon realise that EVERY ethnic or religious group cops it from Walt - including Italians, Irish, Jews, and even Lutherans. It's just awesome. Plus I now know how to speak to a barber.
Drinker, I seriously love you. Your insights are always on point and after your videos I find myself wanting to rewatch the movie as soon as possible. Gran Torino IS a classic - your descriptive characterizations have made me cry . . again. Keep up the important work you're doing!
Gran Torino is one of those movies I somehow always forget about and then as soon as I remember it I have to watch it again straight away. My fave Clint Eastwood film of all time (of the ones he's directed, at least- obviously nothing will ever beat The Good The Bad And The Ugly, and Dirty Harry will always remain a personal favourite).
When Clint moved from acting to directing more, I felt a deep hole in my heart. I have always loved his brilliant acting and great characters. However my heart was soon filled again as I realised he made a fantastic director and has put together some of the greatest movies I have ever seen. What an amazing career he has spanned so far. I think it is disgusting to see the negative culture that is around today try to destroy some of his work. I don't recognise this world anymore and I don't much want to either with the way things are going. I can only thank God I got to experience the times I did. I feel sorry for anyone growing up today although they will most likely be oblivious to the change and instead consider me ignorant and bigoted. I'll know the truth though just like Walt.
I remember seeing a commercial for E.T. when I was younger that said, "One of the greatest films of all time" and my uncle turned towards me and said, "I have seen 25 Clint Eastwood movies that are better than E.T."
This entire movie is loaded with gems, it was done very well. Really Clint Eastwood not only was just an iconic actor way back, but once he became a director, right out of the gate "The Outlaw Josey Wales" was a cinematographic masterpiece. "Unforgiven" was possibly one of his best, if not THE best movies he ever made that stand the test of time of the "coming of age" and "can't change my ways" conundrum of his character," whereas the first part is true in Gran Torino, where the second part is the opposite where Walt does change his ways, but he chooses his own fate to pay it forward rather than accepting a slow decline in his failing health. Clint Eastwood is one of the last people in Hollywoid that's had the balls to make movies that didn't apologize to every freak on the planet while doing it. He's damn-near 100 years old now... maybe Tom Cruise has 40 more years left in him, who knows.
God, ones of the best movies ever made. A definite classic and one of my favorites. A definite must watch. It shows that ground breaking isn't necessary, as long as it's something worth seeing, worth watching.
I think almost every movie that "wouldn't get made today" is worth watching at this point, they are such a breath of fresh air.
Totally agree.
Something about the filmaker not walking around on eggshells is incredibly refreshing
And it's not because such films wouldn't make money, they would make huge amounts of money. It's just they listen to wails from whales on Twitter.
That's how you know it's good lol
And also because who knows when they might get Seuss'd
"If Gran Torino was made today Walt would probably be recast as the villian"
Big facts.
Not only would Walt be recast as the villain, but a racist activist group would kill him to the celebration of the neighborhood due to the bias of the directors and producers.
So basically a sincere version of Springtime for Hitler, only it's reality because Hollywood is that woke.
And there’s be no arc, just rants and overt finger pointing…
No, they love the story of a white American giving everything, including his life, to immigrants
They did. It's called Up.
@@juanmanuelpenaloza9264
Up and Gran Torino were both produced around the same time.."Up" was released a year later, but I would think production of an animated film would take a bunch more time.
What's great is that Walt realizes that these foreigners are much like him: wrapped in their traditions and disparaging the younger generations that have lost sight of what made their people so great. What's also great is that he doesn't fully change as evidenced by the very end, but he becomes better and good enough. There's a lot un-PC dialogue, but it feels very realistic. There are Walts and people that talk like him everywhere in the world. This is one of Clint's finest films, maybe even his last gem.
Grew up in a town almost identical to this. It isn't just "realistic." I got to watch this happen in real life, though the ending was a bit different. A few gangbangers with pistols vs an entire neighborhood (older Hmong men included) armed to the teeth. The Second Amendment "militia" in practice.
The people don't change, they just accept other cultures. In the Midwest, there are festivals that celebrate all the different cultures and everyone can participate. We grew up celebrating "Hmong" New year. I only found out about "Chinese" or "Lunar" New Year in college. We went to Hmong New Year, they came to Oktoberfest. Win-win!
Also, a lot of the slurs have two sides. The first is a genuine insult. The second is a brotherly jab showing affection. From the outside, it can be hard to tell the difference. Remember what Walt (Polish), the Barber (Italian), and the Construction worker (Irish) all say to each other, but those slurs are never mentioned. That is how it is even today in a good chunk of the "blue collar" Midwest...at least among friends.
"There's a lot un-PC dialogue, but it feels very realistic." The one thing that might not fit in there as completely realistic is Walt using "Spook" as a derogatory term for blacks, when you know if it were real life he'd be using something else entirely.
@@SpaceJawa I think Walt would say spook instead of the n word. He most likely lived with/fought and bled next to black, brown, and white men during his service and in Korea. That definitely changes how a man sees his fellow man. Was Walt racist? Yes. Did Walt hate black people? My opinion is no (grey area, I know). I think spook, mick, heeb,cracker, etc more-so fall into the loosely "joking while still holding certain biased beliefs" category. Certain other words and actions fall into the hateful and dangerous category for sure. In this 32 year old, white guy's opinion of course 🤙
I love while there's a total language barrier between Tao's Grandmother and Walt, and they superficially dislike each other, they ultimately really respect each other.
@@SpaceJawa Spook was quite common. I remember, long ago, reading a book by a black author titled "The Spook Who Sat By The Door". It was a clever title because this was about a black CIA operative. A 'Spook' is also a common slang name for a CIA agent. So....double meaning.
I laughed how Clint and Grandma recognise each other as old time hard asses.
The moment where Grandma out spits Walt it is such a perfect moment in the movie because it's one of the major moments that starts Walt into respecting his neighbors instead of viewing them as avatars of the soldiers he had to fight. :D
One of the most amazing silent relationships in a movie, ever. "That old broad hates my ass". LOL
Game recognizes Game. lol
@@LYHTSPD Absolutely !!!!!
@@runewyrdgaming Absolutely !!!!!
How can you have played a main role in a movie about how a man overcomes his racism and not get the gist of this movie? Social justice really does rot brains.
Because it's really about making yourself a victim regardless of substance and circumstance.
He's just trying to get attention so he can be in the spotlight and try to boost his career.
There's a lot of power in being a victim today, which is why 99.999999% of people like this do it.
Whatever. That's why Tao doesn't have a career outside of this movie 🙄 He should thank Clint for his fortunate opportunity in the FIRST place. Also the DRINKER rules! 🍸
sadly there is currency in victimhood these days and people want to cash those oppression cheques in.
I also like that while Walt absolutely had his flaws and casual racism, he also has valuable things to teach and pass on, like the pride that comes with owning and keeping your home in good condition, knowing how to be self sufficient and do your own repairs, and how to take pride in your work. Lessons this generation sorely lack.
It's Walt's realization that he has more in common with the Hmong neighbors who have moved into the neighborhood than his own children that is really telling in the movie.
That's the moment where he starts to warm up to his neighbors and sees them more as people instead of avatars of the soldiers he had to kill.
Well that, and the moment when Granny out spits him while they're both on the porch.
I say this all the time to people my own age and I rarely get listened to. Older people might disagree with you about some things, but there's invaluable lessons to be learned if you just listen.
Everyone is just so desperate to isolate themselves from alternative viewpoints that they ignore all of a person's virtues if they MIGHT have the 'wrong' opinion, and they throw the baby out with the bathwater.
Yep and if anything characters are meant to be realistic. We should clearly see the flaws of all as it impacts the story.
Well the lack of knowledge in turn for stupid woke politics is being done on purpose. The nwo owns Hollywood. They want a dumb down Marxist divided yet hive mind homogenous bland dead slave society.
@@bigduke2140 not everything is. Hell, not even the majority of goods are made to be irreparable. The simple fact is that today's generation, when compared to previous generations, knows very, very little about basic mechanics, tools, home maintenance, etc. And yes, I know there is a vibrant DIY subculture, but it's a SUBculture. And before you call me an out-of-touch boomer, I'm a Millennial. I know what I speak of because I grew up in the generation that I'm talking about, and watched the generation immediately after me grow up to be an even more extreme example of it. My generation, on the whole (because yes, there are always outliers and exceptions to every generational trend) places far more value on technology and high tech toys and internet slacker culture than it does old fashioned, hands-on, blue collar type living.
"Get off my lawn" should be a drinker catch phrase. Also, Clint is the man!!
Clint is the man. Stoic and cold, but with hidden reserves of heart. This film showed it best
GET OFF MY LAWN!!!!!!!!
“That’s all I’ve got for today. Get off my lawn.”
@@Snipey1904 GET OFF MY LOOL
Also “I’ll take that as a yes!”
The scene where the sister shows up after having been raped is one of the most emotional scenes in any movie I've ever seen. It leaves you horrified and furious and ready to do bodily harm to other humans. Gran Torino is an absolute MASTERFUL movie at controlling the emotions of it's audience. The fact that the idiot kid decided to come out years later trying to cancel Clint Eastwood is insane. He turned out to be a nobody outside of this movie... and he just wanted his 15 minutes of fame back.
HAHA, "idiot kid" is right! 😆
I love how that kid acts like he was either forced at gunpoint to take part in the movie, or simply didn't notice how "racist" it was. If you didn't notice then it couldn't be that bad. If you did notice you're just as much to blame!
He acts like it was only Asians that had slurs against them.. I recall jokes about blacks, the polish, the Irish, and the Italians. All the worst slurs too in that movie. It was a great movie because it was unappologetic.
@@bkeevers6719 as Gunnery Sgt. Hartman mused “you're all equally worthless".
@@bkeevers6719 I'm polish and I enjoyed the banter a lot, one of my favourite movies if not the favourite of genre
I heard the kid from the movie is now complaining about Eastwood's racist character. I guess he missed the point of the film.
Or he's trying to get some clout while cancel culture is in full swing.
What other films has he been in? erm..... Sounds like he's trying to get attention as nobody gives him any work.
@@6581punk I think he was in 2 films in the span of time since Gran Torino to this day. So yeah, bet you're right
Predictable stupidity.
Exactly. Kinda impossible to show growth and a character arc if you provide no starting point for the role.
First time I saw this movie in the theater with my wife I said out loud "oh my God, someone followed my father around with a camera for 6 months and recorded everything he said". Seriously, my Dad is gone over 10 years now and I still watch this movie and can picture him, a veteran of Korea as well, speaki g and behaving the same way as Walt. This movie is a masterpiece and it is an accurate representation of our culture, both the good and the bad and the lesson of redemption.
"Can't be undone" is why I still buy DVDs and Blurays. Streaming services more and more are starting to undo movies and its sad.
George Lucas inadvertently gave us a warning of what could happen. I still buy cds, hardcover books, dvds and blurays. Hardcopies can't be retconned.
Buy physical media while you can, because that'll be the next thing to go.
Just bought Ace Ventura yesterday for this reason. If the Muppets and Dr Seuss are too much, "Einhorn is a MAN!" certainly isn't long for this world
I need to find a good list of movies that cancel culture will try to erase. I need to make sure I add them to my collection if they aren’t already. Got to get all them Clint Eastwood and Mel Gibson movies while you can. I’m sure any movie with a story about fighting for freedom will be banned eventually.
Damn, maybe we should actually fight for freedom so we don’t have to worry about movies disappearing.
You don't have to burn a book (or movie) - all you have to do is keep people from reading (watching) it....
No actor/director can come within a light years of Clint Eastwood's resume. I watched this when it came out and it easily fits into his top 10, which alone is some achievement.
Tom Cruise might be there one day.
Clint Eastwood has no acting range but if anyone ever claims that any movie star has ever been cooler than he was in the dollars trilogy they're a moron. He's a one note actor but damn does he crush that one note.
Hmong people love this film. You can look up clips from this movie and see Hmong people praise this film in the comment sections. Not only did it give us that representation ( that every race whines about), it addressed the very real gang problem our communities have.
Not to mention the family in the story are such likable, good natured people.
Coming from a Mexican family it very much felt familiar in many ways, including the extended family cookout.
Most of my Hmong friends loved it. Then again, we all grew up in a Midwestern mill town similar to the neighborhood in the movie, with a ton of old hardworking veterans (both US and Hmong), so...
The saddest part to me, I am not bullshitting here, is that people outside of the West Coast and Northern Midwest (which is where most Hmong immigrated to) actually believe the "Hmong" in the movie are a stereotype of East Asians in general and they don't actually exist...
...though it was a bit fun for me, a Xiong, and two Thaos (one a girl all of 4'6") asking half a college classroom if they wanted to take it out back because they said the Hmong weren't real, but a stand-in for Laotian and Vietnamese immigrants. The soyboys and purple-hairs opted out of that.
@@samuelzuleger5134 I'm kinda stunned people think the Hmong aren't real.
I never really heard of them prior to this movie but it didn't seem like something made up just for the film. Doesn't seem to be Eastwood's style.
@@BlueSatoshi For whatever reason, a lot of people in the US just don't understand how diverse the rest of the world is in general. They don't know the difference between Africans from Ethiopia and Namibia, and think Asia is the Middle East, India, China, and Japan with few ethnic differences. No cultural or geographic education despite what teachers say.
As such, they thought the "Hmong" were a stand in for Han Chinese or Japanese. Though, to be fair, the ones who were the most ardent about it were from the US South or East, where there simply aren't as many Asians in general.
I mean, if not for the Hispanic agriculture immigrants, I wouldn't know much difference between a Puerto Rican, Mexican and Honduran.
@@samuelzuleger5134 I always hear public education here's shit, but having gone to a private school growing up, I'm not sure just how bad it is. Or at least, my mind's having difficulty comprehending it.
I'm Asian and I love this film. It shows how an old man who seems irredeemable is saved through opening up himself to people around him, especially the Hmong brother and sister next door. I love how they embrace him at his ugliest that he allows himself to be a much more loving person that he really is. My fav film to watch almost every month.
My favorite scene is the funeral at the end when the priest tells everyone that Walt referred to him as an over educated 27 year old virgin holding the hands of superstitious old ladies.
Walt's will was glorious. He froze his family the fuck out and they deserved it. XD
Best part.
I forgot about that scene. It's a great scene, because it shows that the naive kid is learning. :D
Welllll, its true, but maybe the priest is touching boys
@@artygunnar wow. You are an awful person.
I think there's an inherent flaw in the perception of this film by "modern" audiences.
Walt wasn't bigoted..he talked hard, but that was the extent of it. If the Walt character came across a bloodied (insert race/sex/age/whatever here) person lying in the street he'd render assistance as needed regardless of that person's differences..he was an equal-opportunity hardcase, and he'd give any male shit while treating any woman with respect..
This is what men of Walt's era did.
Walt wasn't "redeemed." He made peace with himself over wartime actions, honored his wife's dying wish, and ultimately made friends with and defended a neighbor..he'd already done that with every other ethnicity in the film, as witnessed by his friendships with the barber, bartender, and construction worker..
Thank you! You need to be old enough to have known American working class culture of the 70's to understand.
Well put
So true. These days if you mention someone's race while you're busting their chops or pissed off at them it's automatically assumed that you're racist. When the truth is that my grandfather said things that would co.e across as racist today but he'd give the shirt off his back to anyone of any race, if needed. Wasn't a racist bone in his body. He was just a hardcase. He probably did more for people of other races than than any "anti-racist" activist alive today. But not because of skin color, only because they were human and it was the right thing to do.
Gran Torino is a masterpiece. Mr.Eastwood is a true living legend.
Love your image! My grandfather was a Manxman.
@@tomkerruish2982 The Isle of Man truly is wonderful.
@@OctoberCrow1701 I hope to visit it someday. I particularly like the saying about being able to see six kingdoms from Snaefell on a clear day: the Isle of Man, England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and Heaven.
The great shame is that I have a former friend who refused to watch Gran Torino because he'd seen a compilation video called "The growler", which combined all the times that Clint Eastwood growled or grumbled in the movie into one video, which made my former friend absolutely refuse to watch the movie.
I think that former friend of mine is a miserable hypocritical jerk who should learn to judge movies by their quality instead of a 5-minute compilation of grumbling that makes sense in context.
@@hariman7727 Wholeheartedly Agree with you. It’s his loss for not experiencing some of the most incredible films ever, whether in front or behind the camera.
When Walt brings Thao to Martin's barber shop is one of the best scenes ever. They teach him (and us) that the greater half of communication is context, and to give as good as you get instead of jumping to personal insult.
on the side note I'm Polish and one of my best friends is Italian and this is his favorite scene in the movie as well. There was a time when about half of our communication looked like that. Light hearted ethnic stereotypes make the fun insult part of male bonding so much easier :)
_You cant just walk in and start insulting the man._
lol, I remember that scene. Was really good.
So far I’m liking the Drinker’s Extra Shots, Extraction and Gran Torino are both solid choices.
Gran Torino yes, but extraction is nonsense 😂😂😂
I was saddened when I heard of the young cat that had now turned against this wonderful film that's ironically very much about letting go of one's preconceived ideas about other ethnicities and their worldviews and embracing the intrinsic worth of all of humanity. Glad to hear the Drinker giving the film its due praise. Time for a rewatch methinks!
Threatening about using people as sandbags is an underused intimidation tactic.
Best line ever!
I believe he referred to them as "frozen cord wood " Heartbreak Ridge
My sisters friend approached Clint Eastwood at a bar in Los Angeles and said, "I know I probably shouldn't do this but..." He cut her off and said "you should probably go with that feeling". He then promply got up and walked away. I'm going to give him a pass on that one cuz he's a fucking Legend.
You don’t start off by saying that though, LOL. That’s a huge red flag
Had he not cut her off then there would be no story to tell.
He's a massive prick like that. He kicked his long time producing friend Fritz Manes to the curb just because Fritz let it be known Clint was a lifeguard during the Korean War. Apparently an unforgivable sin (around the time he was making Heartbreak Ridge and posing as a combat vet Marine)
I can't speak for other Asians on the internet but i found the witty slangs hilarious.
There was always a morbid but ironically historical meaning in them.
Tbh the only people i find being offended by slang and deragatoy comments are teachers enforcing order on campus or karens out of skin color.
RomanceR 19 years ago Racial/national/ethnic stereotypes have been a part of human history as long into history as you want to go. You can find Roman jokes and ethnic slurs buried in archaeological sites all over Europe. In part, these sorts of "humor" are a strength and character test. If subjected to such an insult somebody flies into a rage then they don't have self confidence and are not somebody you can count on in a pinch. But if, instead of flying into a rage, they come back with a clever appropriate response and smile then, that person has strength and self confidence and, most likely can be counted on. In reality, all this discrimination against such humor is, turning us all into emotional two year olds. "Whaaaaa, Whaa, you made fun of me. Whaaaaaaaaa!" My background is Scottish on both sides of my family. I can you some great Scottish jokes!
God bless you. 💀🔥
@@r.blakehole932 Let's not romanticize slurs based on stereotypes either. Just because people get offended over tiniest thing and exaggerate their reaction on social media to virtue signal, doesn't mean that all behaviours of that type are ok not a big deal.
The type of dynamic that you are describing is very context specific, most likely to occur within established group of friends, maybe new comrade of different origin (be it race, country or even region within the same country) joins them and is being "tested" (scenario you described reminds me of Jordan Peterson's "Lunchbox" story) to see if he not some emotional, unstable baby.
But if the same kind of slurs are used in a random situation with strangers, it most likely than not is done to simply show off in front of others, put someone down or just show them they are not welcomed here. They also perpetuate negative stereotypes, which might be true for some, but never for all, which is why we started seeing them as not acceptable (unless used in a joke or, again, among group of friends) as our understanding of how common language contributes to shaping people's views, beliefs and as a result, behaviour.
I don't trust people who are to sensitive for an edgy joke or to stupid for a good comeback.
@@kalash_nikov Well that's one of the lessons of the movie. when Clint character teachs Tau how to speak to the barber, because they are all in good terms and can take the heat.
What truly saddens me is that people like Clint will soon be gone, and new actors won’t take his place
Actor is not the sad part, it's loosing him as a director and writer that is the true catastrophe.
the ending is beautiful because walt's family look disinterested and apathetic at the reading of his will, his grand daughter even excited because shes convinced herself that shes entitled to his car, whereas tao inherits the gran torino that started it all off and hes heart broken to have lost a father figure
Thao and Sue even dressed up in ceremonial Hmong garb out of respect for Walt’s passing, and both are devastated during his funeral.
Marvelous writing on Eastwood’s part that’s for damn sure
It is perfect. And I don’t see how anyone can be offended by racism here, he changes his perspective and adjusts his affection to what his moral compass says. As CD said, the early bigotry had to be honest and told, helping give gravitas to how impacting he feels his neighbours are - he’s done it before, he lays on the usual glaze, but then strips back all the layers of BS to show the bare essentials of humans.
One of Eastwood’s best performances. Absolutely incredible storytelling.
The virtue signaling crowd's criticism of Gran Torino is precisely what is wrong with this woke culture. It leaves no room for redemption. The whole point, as Critical Drinker points out, is that the story is about a person going through a journey of reform. How are you supposed to reform if you have no flaws in the first place? This is woke culture in a nutshell. They expect one to be morally unblemished from the start and perfectly enlightened from the get go. Based on this naïve notion of human nature, there would be no cinema nor great storytelling because without a redemptive arc there is no conflict.
Excellent comment 👏👏
the robots dont understand nuance
And for that It’s not Woke Culture but Woke Cult.
"...without a redemptive arc there is no conflict." And without conflict, there can be no redemptive arc.
No one should ever appologize to woke culture for anything . Those people will call you all kind of racist things, if you done share in the same delusion. They are the modern day racists
He made this in no time for no money. That is how good this guy and his crew are.
One of Clints best movies in my opinion. I'm so glad Drinker thought of it.
Absolutely. Masterpiece.
What Clint does at the end to help the boy and family was a unpredictable and such a giant selfless act. I couldn't predict how he took down that entire gang to make that family safe from it.
The value of redemption can never be understated in a movie like “Grand Torino”. It is hard.... very hard to do right. This movie got it right. It isn’t a perfect redemption, but it is there for all to see. This character that is so well played by Clint Eastwood is terribly flawed. By the end of the movie, you know there are still flaws, but those are mitigated and he has a new understanding and a new attitude. We even get to see a bit of a new sense of humor in him. Not much, but just a hint of him before the war stole it from him.
This movie is an outstanding screenplay done near perfectly by the stellar acting. It is painful and a pleasure to watch.
Thank you, Drinker, for taking some time away from Tatiana to make this outstanding video. Well done, kind sir.
I’ll go away now.
I like that the MC doesn't get "totally redeemed"
Humans aren't perfect, never will be
It took a legend like Clint to do this, not sure if anyone else would have come close.
Clint Eastwood and his cinema can teaches every boy, that HE CAN be a GOOD MAN, but first he needs to be A MAN! THANK YOU CLINT!
That asian actor should be ashamed of himself for trying to jump on the woke bandwagon... Thats how he thanks Clint Eastwood... Seriously?
He is commie?
He jumped on the woke bandwagon to draw attention to himself. Probably because he has a failed acting career.
What did that idiot do?
@@walktown1983 he called the movie a racist movie and regrets his role in it
@@zorafilms Damn, what an ungrateful scumbag. That is how he thanks Clint.
Just on a whim, I watched this again today. And cried. My God, funny and meaningful writing acted in a way that parallels reality all too closely.
I admire the man for his talents as an actor and a director. You don't ahve to agree wtih his politics to love his work, hell, that should be IRRELEVANT! An actor's personl life shouldn't matter. As long as it's nothing illegal their personal life is no one else's business.
This is a great film. He's a broken man and becomes better by the end. Why is that so hard to do these days?
Clint's politics are varied. He's supported Democrats and Republicans. I think he's just pragmatic.
His politics are spot on, and stand in direct repudiation of Hollywood's Marxist, anti American nonsense.
@@6581punk Totally respect pragmatism.
I remember seeing a review shortly after I watched the film. The gist of it was basically Walt's wrongthink was unforgivable, and the fact that he's redeemed makes this fascist propaganda.
Forget about it not being made today, the movie was probably nearly killed as it was being made.
@@pretorious700 Hollywood is deeply entwined with American culture. To say Hollywood is anti-American is like saying fast food is anti-American.
I went and watched as soon as I finished this video. And I have to say, my expectation were exceeded beyond measure. What a beautiful story.
I saw this film about a year after my dad passed away. I rented it from the video store and this was the first time I started looking at smaller character dramas and the themes of what we leave behind. Great movie!
i went alone to the theater to see this one when it came out, and i was astounded. it was such an awesome movie and is still one of my all-time favorites. clint is the man and this screenplay is a work of art. it's simple, painful, beautiful, and epic. worth every penny. i rewatch it every couple of years and love it every time. and yeah, i cry.......mostly because i'm always drunk. cheers.
This movie is a masterpiece. The proof that you don't need M.Bay explosions or Snyder's puke inducing camera work to produce top cinema entertainement.
Just have believable characters and a good story, and you can be in my top 10 movies of all time, where Gran Torino belongs of course. I rewatch it like once a year and it's always a pleasure.
When I first saw it in cinema i thought : "Finally a movie that's about reality". As my suspension of disbelief is very easily broken, i fucking love that this movie is flawless on that matter. Nothing unbelievable happens, but we still get all kinds of strong emotions during it.
Thank you Mr Eastwood for making this beautiful piece of art.
If only the Transformers and superhero movies were about old veterans living next door to asian families and korean gangs.
@@minbari73 My answer didnt come through because i called you a male genitalia. You're either a troll or missing the point, either way i dont care what you think.
@@minbari73 If you like KOREAN gangs (where does that come from ?) watch "New World" or "Internal affairs" guys, both good korean movies about that. I'm not the drinker but i recommand. Go away now.
Perhaps one of the most meaningful, however logically counterintuitive, qualifiers for a truly great film is knowing you can watch it only very infrequently. They’re so well done, so moving that despite the fact you loved it, the ride is so intense that you know it will be a long time before you’re able to do it again. That is Gran Torino.
What a film, watched it about 6 months ago. I was blown away how brilliantly directed and acted it was, how sharp and meaningful the dialogue is and how well it is shot as well.
Was the last film I saw in theaters with my father before he died, has a special place in my heart
This movie deserved a full Drinker Recommends
I teared up during this movie. Watching Clint Eastwood was like being around my granddad again. The barber shop scene was perfect. Very similar to what it was like being around him and his old navy friends.
Drinker, you magnificent bastard, you convinced me that I need to finally take that Gran Torino for a spin.
You will not regret it. It's one of Clint's best.
Fave part is when they’re in the basement and Walt clowns on Tao and he calls the other guys click clack, ding dong and Charlie Chan I was dying!!!
That scene is pretty amazing
...And while you're still laughing and processing that line, he throws out the next line "Cos you're a big fat pussy, that's why..." I was spilling my drink in the theater by then;
Calling Tao toad! 😆
And tells Toad that Miss Yum Yum is into him.
yeah, that was hilarious. Then calling Tao "puss cake" on his way out. Too funny.
I love how the kid now calls Clint a racist after all these years. I guess that paycheck dulled his conscience for a while.
I expect him to Dirty Harry'd them. "Do you feel lucky, punk?"
Just like some actresses do a few years after getting cast as in parts they no longer feel comfortable with....you read the script...you knew what was going on....you took the money.
The retrospective offence from said actor is probably him trying to now fit in with the woke hollywood clique because he wants more work..
Kind of hypocritical whan a) he took the money and b) being in the movie he should have known that that wasn't what the story is about. Also he conveniently ignores that the Hmong Grandma was also racist and through the film both she and Walt come to an understanding and give up their bigotry. The point was that anyone can have prejudices and be imperfect, but it doesn't mean they're automatically bad people who can't be redeemed.
The kid is pulling a James Cameron (nowadays he's virtue signaling a LOT by claiming that Ripley being in her panties in the ending of "Alien" is 'crossing the line' despite being the man behind True-watchJamieLeeCurtisstrip-Lies)
When this movie came out in theaters, it was so popular that it ran 2 months straight...Which is rare for any movie.
The scene with the Italian barber is amazing
I watched this movie the second weekend it was out with my girlfriend of the time. This movie, is the most beautiful movie Eastwood has had anything to do with. I laughed, I cried like a freaking baby, my girlfriend did the same, and we left the theater stunned, and extremely happy to have experienced this movie on the big screen. The nearly 3 hour drive to take her home because of the snow was worth it. In my opinion, this is Eastwood's masterpiece of film.
Brilliant movie. One of my favorite.
Eastwood like a good whiskey: the older - the better.
I always felt that Unforgiven was Clint Eastwood's masterpiece until I watched Grand Torino... An absolutely wonderful piece of art that pulled and pulled at the heart and was so satisfying. A really great story, well told.
I loved this movie. Eastwood's character reminded me of a family friend. Old retired marine with no filter.
"Gran Torino got made, it's awesome, and it can never be undone no matter how much people complain about it." In a world where Gone With the Wind and the Muppets get content warnings and Dr. Seuss has been censored I'm not sure how you can seriously make this claim. I *want* you to be right, but I wouldn't exactly bet on it.
Buy a copy of it. That way you can always watch it. Even when all the bs streaming services don’t allow it and no copies of it are left. One of the last great movies from the cesspool known as Hollywood.
@AshCosgrove
What about deadpool 2? I absolutely loved that movie and it was somewhat offensive, and making fun of woke culture at the same time with deadpool joking about cable being racist??
Trust me Gran Torino is one of my favourite movies, and while Hollywood has mostly gone to crap there’s still the odd good movie right?
@@AshCosgrove cesspool is right .. Amadeus, Das Boot, Jeremiah Johnson and Tombstone are some of my favorites back when good movies were written. CGI and pretty actors seem to have replaced grit, chemistry, cast and plot.
That's why I own copies of the movies and tv series I enjoy.
Anyone relying on a streaming service to access good movies is not making a smart bet.
Piracy exists.
I still remember this movie even 13 years later. Some movies make a lasting impression, this was one of them. Thanks for giving it the spotlight it deserves.
Gran Torino is one of the best films ever made. It did something I never thought possible: It made my crusty old grandfather cry at the end.
A friend of mine from high school, Michael Judd, was Clint Eastwood's assistant director on several of his films. He was also an extra, and worked in other parts of his crew. A large part of Gran Torino was shot here in Michigan, so it must have been nice for Mike to work close to his family, but it was extra cool to see pics of him on social media of behind the scenes stuff from Gran Torino and other movies he was involved with, even if those movies turned out to be shit. Still, I think it's pretty cool to have "Two degrees of separation" to Clint Eastwood. heheheh
This is one of my all time favorite movies along with Second Hand Lions!
I can't believe I watched "The Good, The Bad The ugly" for the first time...Gran Torino is great, I also enjoyed "The Mule"
Ah, The Mule. One of those - the better things seem, the more that sinking feeling in your gut. Owning it at the end. Does it get more 'macho' then that?
I loved this film. This old Korean war veteran literally gave his life to save a kid who was a descendant of the very people he faught against all those years ago in order to save him from a life of crime and needless bloodshed. He was redeemed, and he paid the ultimate price to do it.
Gran Torino is a great movie, and like I said many times, Clint Eastwood is a legend.
Back when I went to see this film, it almost gave me back some faith that Hollywood could actually still make God-Tier movies, and at the time I was right, but I was merely witnessing the crest of a very steep hill...
This was made just as Cinema died due to the heavy woke infusion it had been receiving. It was powerful, moving and that end shows you what sacrifice can really mean.
I saw this in the theater when it came out. Even better than the film is the interview with Eastwood at the time,man he doesn't cut anyone any slack. Too bad, everything thing he talks about came true. Excellent pick.
I grew up in Detroit in the 70s this movie is spot on. Well done drinker
Gran Torino!
This is one of those beauuuuutiful things in life that arrive quite unexpectedly.
I'm so glad you recommend it.
It's amazing he had no problem with the movie while he was getting a paycheck to make it
went into this movie not expecting much, walked away loving it. went right to amazon and purchased the bluray. a simply terrific film made by an extraordinary man.
The last time I was this early, the drinker was still sober...
Fake News.
🐂 never happened
That's pure bollocks, we all know that the Drinker was born with a half-empty bottle of whiskey in one hand and a fistful of pound notes for Tatiana in the other
Plot twist: he was never sober
He came out of the womb with a buzz.
I have to agree, this is one of the best movies i have ever seen. Its a movie that i can come back to and still appreciate each time.
Glad to see drinker review this
I love this movie
This and Unforgiven are my favourite Eastwood directed films
This is my father's favorite movie of recent times, because it doesn't lie. He's not a military man or anything, just a hard-working Latino from south-south Texas that got thrown out at 19 for loving my mother, and they went and made a go of it. What he loves is honesty and reality, part of what's probably made his aspired career as a defense attorney work out so well for him. He's a hard man, but not heartless or cruel; mutual respect is something he encouraged me, and I wish I'd listened better in my youth. But yeah, this movie struck a chord with him, and I can always tell he's in tough emotional straits when he'll text me a quote and I'll be like, "Watching Gran Turino again, eh pops?".
I oughta show him your channel, Drinker, you and he are of a mind in movies, only... he's a little lite-weight, I do the drinking for us both~
Clint is our National Treasure. I hope he lives to be the oldest person on record. And he'll still be making movies.
Yep, 91 and about to release a new movie in which he also stars. That man is a goddam legend...
Clint is speed running to outlive Queen Elizabeth.
This is one of my favorite movies of all time. I can watch it on repeat.
I’d love to see today’s movie executives trying to tell Clint Eastwood “ no you can’t do that, that’s problematic “ yeah that’s not happening.
Clint has earnt it unlike most other wannabes and hasbeens
That's the best part, it means he gets to write interesting, nuanced characters with conflicting personalities and flaws.
I think this is his best movie. He didn't really change, but put a human face on to what he despised. And he did what men do...in the end, he protected the weak, even if they were not someone he would normally have the time of day for....it was awesome.
We're totally on the same page... This movie could not have been made today andI like it. And it's the second comment 😆
I saw this back in 2009 and enjoyed it but I never could understand why this particular film got so much praise and attention but now being a decade older I fully understand and appreciate it far more than I did when I was younger.
The scene where Kowalski hands his protege Grip Pliers, Duct tape and a can of WD40 is one of the most touching, sensible and inspiring I've ever seen. No joke here. The lesson that, choosing wisely, you probably need much less than you think to get your s..t going is one never to forget.
The tool scene is a good fatherly scene. Gives him the basics to start with and explained the rest wasn't bought all at once, Little bit at a time.
Clint's legend grew exponentially. From actor and leading man, to director and writer. He even played a little jazz, or selectively chose certain musical pieces. My personal favorite is the fact he runs the most efficient movie production company in the western world. Everyone knows what to do, works well together, and finishes films in record time. This tells me Clint understands the meaning behind hiring the right people for the right jobs. Every interview I've seen or read by someone associated with his productions confirms this. (Leaving egotistical actors out of it)
Last time I was that early, pub crawls were still a thing.
Gran Torino is absolutely amazing.
You have to be sober enough to walk for pub crawls 😎
Saw this movie once while on my own (business trip) and have watched it with friends and family many times to share the experience. Love this movie so much.
An EXCELLENT review of one of my top ten films EVER. A magnificent film of a hero making the ultimate sacrifice for a younger generation. All the more so that his true "children" are not his biological ones; but the ones of his redemption. As the fleeting illusion of life fades, Walt makes sure that whatever riches he has gained in this Dream will be passed along to those who need it the most and will be thankful for the gifts thus bequeathed.
I have been watching nothing but classic westerns and Clint Eastwood is among my top favorites.
It is excellent, although I didn't like the character of his grand-daughter, who for dramatic purposes had to be a villainess, but she wasn't convincingly written.
Ah, Lloyd, jolly good. When I saw it at the cinema I thought it was the best thing I’d seen in years, very fresh. But yes the granddaughter was a bit of a cartoon villain.
Agreed, she felt like more of a tool used to underline how genuine Thao and Walt's relationship was rather than a character in her own right.
I have to admit to feeling a certain amount of smug satisfaction at seeing her face drop during the reading of the will though..
I have to disagree. The grand-daughter is incredibly realistic. I have a sister who has the exact same narcissistic personality, right down to her asking our father if she could have things when he died. Watching that character is uncanny and unnerving for me for that reason.
@@mish375 Yep, I know people like that as well
@@bluelivesmatter719 I'm terrified by the prospect that either Clint has met members of my family or more people with that personality type exist in the world. Probably the latter. I had the same reaction to many of the characters in Knives Out as well. It just shows how great the writing was in Gran Torino.
One of the great films. So glad you reviewed this.
If anyone bothers to watch about 13 seconds of the film, you soon realise that EVERY ethnic or religious group cops it from Walt - including Italians, Irish, Jews, and even Lutherans. It's just awesome.
Plus I now know how to speak to a barber.
Drinker, I seriously love you. Your insights are always on point and after your videos I find myself wanting to rewatch the movie as soon as possible. Gran Torino IS a classic - your descriptive characterizations have made me cry . . again. Keep up the important work you're doing!
I saw this movie when it came out in the theaters.
The ending broke my heart, but that's the kind of movie that sticks with you.
Good way to put "it got made and you can't take that away from us."
Been one of my favourites for many years! I still remember the first time i watched it! Cried like a baby:,(
“That’s about all... *GET OFF MY LAWN* now!”
Gran Torino is one of those movies I somehow always forget about and then as soon as I remember it I have to watch it again straight away. My fave Clint Eastwood film of all time (of the ones he's directed, at least- obviously nothing will ever beat The Good The Bad And The Ugly, and Dirty Harry will always remain a personal favourite).
When Clint moved from acting to directing more, I felt a deep hole in my heart.
I have always loved his brilliant acting and great characters.
However my heart was soon filled again as I realised he made a fantastic director and has put together some of the greatest movies I have ever seen.
What an amazing career he has spanned so far.
I think it is disgusting to see the negative culture that is around today try to destroy some of his work.
I don't recognise this world anymore and I don't much want to either with the way things are going. I can only thank God I got to experience the times I did.
I feel sorry for anyone growing up today although they will most likely be oblivious to the change and instead consider me ignorant and bigoted.
I'll know the truth though just like Walt.
Nicely put :)
Watched this movie with my dad when I was is the hospital a few years back. It's meant a lot to me since then.
They're trying to undo Doctor fucking Seuss. They'll try to undo this, too.
And fail, as they always do.
Yep they will and they wont stop until they destroyed everything.
I remember seeing a commercial for E.T. when I was younger that said, "One of the greatest films of all time" and my uncle turned towards me and said, "I have seen 25 Clint Eastwood movies that are better than E.T."
I love when all the ladies in the neighbourhood start bringing Walt food - he starts saying he doesnt want it until he sees a dish he really likes.
"wait is that those dumplings? OK go through" lol
This entire movie is loaded with gems, it was done very well. Really Clint Eastwood not only was just an iconic actor way back, but once he became a director, right out of the gate "The Outlaw Josey Wales" was a cinematographic masterpiece. "Unforgiven" was possibly one of his best, if not THE best movies he ever made that stand the test of time of the "coming of age" and "can't change my ways" conundrum of his character," whereas the first part is true in Gran Torino, where the second part is the opposite where Walt does change his ways, but he chooses his own fate to pay it forward rather than accepting a slow decline in his failing health.
Clint Eastwood is one of the last people in Hollywoid that's had the balls to make movies that didn't apologize to every freak on the planet while doing it. He's damn-near 100 years old now... maybe Tom Cruise has 40 more years left in him, who knows.
Love this movie it's a shame Clint is the last of a generation of actors that I can actually respect
God, ones of the best movies ever made. A definite classic and one of my favorites. A definite must watch. It shows that ground breaking isn't necessary, as long as it's something worth seeing, worth watching.