Gran Torino

Another leisurely trip to the afflictions of old age and the desires of youth, and after Million Dollar Baby, another demonstration of Clint Eastwood's mastery. To obtain several excellent refutations of clichés, even while showing himself as the hero of the year, Clint once again defies cinematography according to his own principles. 90% and an unstoppable finish afterward. (03/03/2009)

While in Million Dollar Baby, Clint Eastwood never left the boxing ring, here he never leaves his own front porch. Gran Torino is even more intimate than his recent boxing opus and delivers an even harder knockout blow to the audience. Eastwood portrays one of his most interesting characters in an incredibly smoothly flowing movie – the easy-to-follow setting of the simple story emphasizes the seamless continuity of individual scenes composing an intriguing character study of Eastwood’s Kowalski. Everything in this movie has its place and meaning, including a brief lawn-mowing shot. Not to mention the song in the end credits... (16/02/2009)

Clint's Farewell, or Empties by the American badass. The film has a tendency to slide into cliché and calculation, but the character of a grumpy old man who finds redemption (?) in his old age has the kind of gradation that will make you swallow the two hours of mentoring and lamenting the good old days to the max. Objectively, there are many things that could be criticized about it, but subjectively, it affected me so much that I don't want to have any reservations regarding it. (15/05/2009)

After several times, it really doesn't work anymore. Eastwood dusts off his proven plot concept, which remains completely identical with minor modifications. Only this time, instead of an emancipated boxer, he threw in an old good-hearted grump. The melancholic music, minimalist direction, and emotionally packed moments are there, including the interesting finale. I didn’t pay much attention to the several storylines running alongside the main plot. Eastwood is capable, but instead of taking turns in an effective loop he knows what to do, he just drives straight ahead like a heavyweight truck. Some people are pulled along with him, some manage to avoid him, but having three attempts to escape is a somewhat bigger luxury than would be appropriate. (08/05/2009)

For his grand finale, Clint chose one of his best ever stories. The decrepit and permanently pissed Wall-E Kowalsky is also one of his most original characters. He deals out snappy lines and threats with style, beats Koreans in the face while even having time to mentor another (this time good) Korean. Eastwood planned everything carefully and his Gran Torino has a lot to say and manages at the same time to be entertaining to watch, sometimes making you laugh out loud and sometimes (mostly at the end) shed a tear. A picture that I would happily watch again anytime. (21/02/2009)