Opening 5 Mar 2009
Directed by:
Clint Eastwood
Writing credits:
Nick Schenk, Dave Johannson
Principal actors:
Clint Eastwood, Christopher Carley, Bee Vang, Ahney Her, Brian Haley
Clint Eastwood stars in and directs a movie that starts and ends with a funeral. Walt Kowalski's (Eastwood) wife dies, leaving him on his own in a neighborhood in Detroit which has very much changed over the years. Earlier it was the home of many Ford workers and has now become an area of immigrants. Racist Walt is a Korean war veteran. He carries around a lot of baggage and guilt. He sits on his front porch which is decorated with an American flag or spends a lot time shining up his all-American car, a 1972 Ford Gran Torino. Although he hates the immigrants invading his town, circumstances cause him to, if not exactly befriend the Hmong (southeast Asian) family next door, then, in his gruff way, take the two teenagers (Bee Vang and Ahney Her) under his wing and become their protector from the rough gangs in the area. Clint Eastwood is great as usual and the film music special. (Thelma Freedman)
