Read Mixed User Reviews for Gran Torino

6

TerryCJul 4, 2009

A lot of potential, spoiled by reprehensible acting from everyone except Clint. I was laughing in parts where I really shouldn't have been laughing. But still enjoyable enough to earn a slightly passing grade.

1 of 1 users found this helpful

6

VinayJul 26, 2009

Decent performance from Eastwood but really nothing new at all in the gangster / redemption / retribution themes the movie throws up.

2 of 4 users found this helpful

4

WBFeb 24, 2009

Just echoing the sentiments of some other voters: poor acting by the young cast members; unbelievably fast bonding between ardent racist Walt and his Hmong neighbors; cliched situations used to create conflict; blatant exposition at times Just echoing the sentiments of some other voters: poor acting by the young cast members; unbelievably fast bonding between ardent racist Walt and his Hmong neighbors; cliched situations used to create conflict; blatant exposition at times (such as when Walt talks to himself in the mirror about how much he has in common with the Hmong--he may as well just turned to the camera and spoke the line to the audience). And his singing at the end seals this raw deal. Don't believe the hype, as they say. It's just average at best.… Expand

2 of 5 users found this helpful

4

arbieJan 22, 2009

It's Eastwood direction, but it's no Eastwood film that I want to own, or even recommend. The Hmong theme is utterly replaceable with any struggling race in terms of gang violence and identity, and does very little to highlight It's Eastwood direction, but it's no Eastwood film that I want to own, or even recommend. The Hmong theme is utterly replaceable with any struggling race in terms of gang violence and identity, and does very little to highlight Hmong cultural value -- in fact, one of the film's unintentional jokes is that it summarily dismisses the Hmong as "just more Asians", and even fails during its expositional scenes to convince anyone of more than what's already commonly known: the Hmong fought with us more than 30 years ago, and were supplanted to places like Wisconsin in following decades as refugees. So, anyone under 30 might walk away with some new superficial knowledge, but don't expect them to swallow the tired race theme -- political correctness and inverseness have BOTH been declared dead by succeeding generations. Audiences over 30 might laugh longer and harder at the endless racism, but what's the value there? And why has nobody attacked the appallingly poor acting in the younger actors? This would be summarily thrown out if it had been directed by anyone else -- even anyone known.… Expand

1 of 4 users found this helpful

4

LanceR.Dec 31, 2008

All I can say is Clint Eastwood is a legend but legends can make make mediocre movies too. Case in point, Gan Torino, only wish the reviewers had the guts to admit this, instead of acting like fanboys and praising everything Clint Eastwood does.

1 of 4 users found this helpful

5

CDJan 15, 2009

Wow, all these 10's?!? This movie was average at best. It was better than Eastwood's "Blood Work" movie but besides that i was not that good. The acting was terrible (yes, I know all the Hmong's were first-timers) and the Wow, all these 10's?!? This movie was average at best. It was better than Eastwood's "Blood Work" movie but besides that i was not that good. The acting was terrible (yes, I know all the Hmong's were first-timers) and the story was boring. And I've heard from everyone that it had a bunch of laugh's in the film...The only time everyone laughed in the theatre was when he dropped one of his 568 racial slurs in the film. Its just a movie full of the slurs; gooks, fish-heads, swamp-rats, japs, zipperheads...I can't even remember them all. I shook my head coming out of the theatre after seeing caucasians already laughing and repeating those degrading slurs against Asians. ...I was going to give it a 0, to try and even it up but a 5 is what it deserves. Erase all the slurs and it still is only a 5. Overhyped!!… Expand

1 of 6 users found this helpful

5

jimNFeb 17, 2009

Not nearly as good as all the hype. Forced dialogue, bad acting, contrived writing

1 of 6 users found this helpful

5

TimWJan 13, 2009

The two Asian siblings' acting is a joke. Paris Hilton could probably out-act them. They make the movie very hard to watch.

0 of 2 users found this helpful

5

DomoJan 18, 2009

Clint is playing the John Wayne card by doing his Dirty Harry routine. It's tedious to a degree yet nonetheless entertaining if you let go of any expectation of artistry he shows in his non-starring vehicles. He's a great director Clint is playing the John Wayne card by doing his Dirty Harry routine. It's tedious to a degree yet nonetheless entertaining if you let go of any expectation of artistry he shows in his non-starring vehicles. He's a great director but his acting is really stiff.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful

4

CharlottePApr 13, 2011

Clint starts off in fine acerbic form as Walt, a malcontented Korean War vet with neighbour problems, but regrettably the film rapidly descends into homily, cliche and downright implausibility. Gasp as Walt discovers his softer side! ChuckleClint starts off in fine acerbic form as Walt, a malcontented Korean War vet with neighbour problems, but regrettably the film rapidly descends into homily, cliche and downright implausibility. Gasp as Walt discovers his softer side! Chuckle at the chutzpah of the young girl confronting three would-be rapists with wisecracks and her irascible neighbour with cheeky repartee! Marvel as the impossibly baby-faced priest becomes Walt's confidante in a last minute schmaltzy reconciliation between Walt and his long-lost faith!

Extra half a star for "Click Clack, Ding Dong and Charlie Chan", though. Funny when he was being mean, saccharine when he wasn't, and impossible to reconcile the two.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

All this user's reviews

4

sinadoomJul 18, 2013

Gran Torino is a decent film for watching if you're bored, but if you're expecting something completely immersive and gripping, you will be disappointed. There's no action or significant events really, and the entire plot can be summarised inGran Torino is a decent film for watching if you're bored, but if you're expecting something completely immersive and gripping, you will be disappointed. There's no action or significant events really, and the entire plot can be summarised in about 20 seconds. There aren't any unnecessary parts in the film which are unrelated or pointless, but character development isn't as good as it could be and overall the film is a bit too long and thin on content. The whole film takes place within a few meters, as just bout the entire film is all in one house and a street. The problem with Gran Torino is that there's no real emotion during the film. No excitement. The entire film is quite bland; although it does manage to keep you watching it all the way through. Its only redeeming feature is the occasional comical scenes.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

All this user's reviews

5

BecquerMFeb 15, 2009

"Gran Torino" is a near-miss for Clint Eastwood: by far his best film of the year, but far from "Letters from Iwo Jima" or "Million Dollar Baby," which not only are more realistic than this surreal and borderline stereotypical representation "Gran Torino" is a near-miss for Clint Eastwood: by far his best film of the year, but far from "Letters from Iwo Jima" or "Million Dollar Baby," which not only are more realistic than this surreal and borderline stereotypical representation of race-relations and family-ties, but also pact a more profound umph - that feeling you get when you've actually learned something - than what is ever revealed of Walt.… Expand