Gran Torino

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

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

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

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

0 of 0 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

4

LawrenceP.Jan 12, 2009

A gruff but good-hearted member of the "great generation" lives next door to a plucky girl, her low self esteem brother, her comedic grandmother and invisible mother. Clint Eastwood has outdone himself - I thought "Heartbreak Ridge" had the A gruff but good-hearted member of the "great generation" lives next door to a plucky girl, her low self esteem brother, her comedic grandmother and invisible mother. Clint Eastwood has outdone himself - I thought "Heartbreak Ridge" had the maximum of two dimensional characters acting or speaking more time worn cliches - I was wrong. Actually there really weren't any characters only broadly drawn caricatures.… Expand

0 of 0 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

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

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

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

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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

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4

BroyaxJan 13, 2017

Papy Clint nous délivre un film à sa gloire dont il a le secret, du sur-mesure pour lui et il s'y connaît le bougre ! sa mise en scène posée et réfléchie, efficace, alterne l'humour, une dérision certaine et la corde sensible(ment) violoneusePapy Clint nous délivre un film à sa gloire dont il a le secret, du sur-mesure pour lui et il s'y connaît le bougre ! sa mise en scène posée et réfléchie, efficace, alterne l'humour, une dérision certaine et la corde sensible(ment) violoneuse et nostalgique de l'ancien combattant retraité. Les tics de cet avatar de l'inspecteur Harry qui compte ses jours sont autant de clins d'oeil de l'acteur à l'égard de son rôle à succès, maintes fois décliné tout au long de sa carrière.

Ainsi, le début et grosso merdo le premier tiers du film est des plus comiques mais cela ne suffit naturellement pas pour tenir la rampe ou la distance. Papy Clint nous sort alors pour le restant du film toute la panoplie de clichés dont il dispose : et il en a plein son sac, lui, le pépé-cliché ambulant, bougon, raciste, aigri et râleur.

Le jeune tocard dont il finit par s'occuper à plein temps est un gogol pénible, une tête à claques irrécupérable ; la famille de "niakoués" dont il se fait le prince-justicier sauveur ; les gangs que Papy se fait un devoir de corriger ; la propre famille de Pépé, une pauvre bande d'idiots directement transposée d'une "situation comedy" ; le jeune prêtre niaiseux dont il remonte les bretelles à chaque occasion ; les leçons de vie enfin qu'il inculque au jeune gogol, tout droit sorties d'un Kinder Surprise.

Même la fin que Papy a voulue grandiose et héroïque fait "pschiit" puisqu'il a cru bon d'en rajouter avec sa maladie (en plus d'avoir perdu sa femme, cela va de soi) ce qui réduit considérablement l'impact de son baroud d'honneur.

Tout cela est donc un peu trop facile et paresseux bien que pas totalement désagréable... c'est le problème avec les clichés : il faut en user avec parcimonie ou les déguiser avec application, ce que Papy Clint n'a certainement pas réussi à faire, englué qu'il est dans cette soupe dont il ne peut se défaire à notre grand dam.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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3

PhilAApr 10, 2009

All the previous comments by "3 or less" pretty much sum it up. I told my wife I wish I could have those 2 hours back. What a waste of time.

1 of 6 users found this helpful

3

KJan 5, 2009

Highly disappointing. Slow and poorly written. Basically a sermon on "kids these days".

0 of 1 users found this helpful

3

BillyS.Jan 9, 2009

Seriously? A Best Picture contender. You're kidding, right? Really. A Best Actor nomination for Clint. Come on, for Gran Torino? Where he plays that Archie Bunker guy who growls more than Learch and puts the fear of God in every ethnic Seriously? A Best Picture contender. You're kidding, right? Really. A Best Actor nomination for Clint. Come on, for Gran Torino? Where he plays that Archie Bunker guy who growls more than Learch and puts the fear of God in every ethnic gang in Detroit by his mere old white man presence, that Gran Torino? Seriously Clint, it's time to put Dirty Harry to bed. Oscar? Only if they award one for Best Achievement In Cliche!… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful

3

JimmyB.Jan 26, 2009

Someone ought to file a lawsuit for plagiarism. The whole film was practically copied from Alan Smithee's collective works, the Ultimate Anthology of Prosthetic Plot Points. If you like your drama spoon fed to you with a predictability Someone ought to file a lawsuit for plagiarism. The whole film was practically copied from Alan Smithee's collective works, the Ultimate Anthology of Prosthetic Plot Points. If you like your drama spoon fed to you with a predictability factor running off the scale and if you can stand Eastwood doing a poor grizzly imitation while impersonating a fossilized plank of wood throughout the entire film, I guess this movie is for you. I guess the joke's on the fan boys again.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful

3

PatG.Dec 12, 2008

We all love Clint, but he should have made a better choice to showcase his acting skills. This movie is the work of a first-time screenwriter, and it shows. It is often amateurish, cliched, and sentimental. I've seen better made-for-TV We all love Clint, but he should have made a better choice to showcase his acting skills. This movie is the work of a first-time screenwriter, and it shows. It is often amateurish, cliched, and sentimental. I've seen better made-for-TV movies. Some good moments, yes, but overall it is a big disappointment. Clint--you can do better!!!… Expand

1 of 6 users found this helpful

3

DeanD.Dec 26, 2008

Eastwood playing Eastwood......and not very well. His facial expressions limited to a scowl and and grrr. The supporting cast, ostensibly Hmong natives, would have made most high school theatricals look good. All the Hollywood tropes are Eastwood playing Eastwood......and not very well. His facial expressions limited to a scowl and and grrr. The supporting cast, ostensibly Hmong natives, would have made most high school theatricals look good. All the Hollywood tropes are dragged out: an embittered veteran lovable enough for neighbors and priests to seek his redemption, despite being constantly insulted by his racial and religious slurs. The ending everyone expects in an Eastwood movie has a twist, which some may find moving but I thought was contrived and implausible. The best laughs came out of the racial slurs....the audience howled....which makes me wonder about us in this age of Obama.… Expand

2 of 5 users found this helpful

3

bobbsywNov 13, 2010

Slow pacing, poor acting and an unbelievable script make this film bad enough, but the continued suggestion that casual racism is acceptable if the other person accepts it "good natured banter" beggars belief.

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

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3

JumpmanJan 4, 2016

This movie is unbelievably terrible i wish i had never seen it. I shouldn't have even started reviewing it since i have to say other than it is terrible

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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3

RhysTawtonNov 3, 2020

Truly baffled by the positive reviews for this film. I saw it on release in the cinema and thought it was terrible - a trite story, stilted dialogue badly acted, distractingly bad camera work and an insulting message behind the script as aTruly baffled by the positive reviews for this film. I saw it on release in the cinema and thought it was terrible - a trite story, stilted dialogue badly acted, distractingly bad camera work and an insulting message behind the script as a whole. Thinking that I may have just been in the wrong mood when I went to see it the first time, I watched it again recently and, no, it's just a bad movie. Very disappointing work from a talented and thoughtful director.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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2

JenBFeb 15, 2009

I simply cannot understand why this movie has garnered such favorable reviews from both critics and fans. It is one of the most ham-fisted pieces of dreck I've ever seen. Do you find it insulting to have the plot spoonfed to you? Would I simply cannot understand why this movie has garnered such favorable reviews from both critics and fans. It is one of the most ham-fisted pieces of dreck I've ever seen. Do you find it insulting to have the plot spoonfed to you? Would you rather watch actors act, rather than have the character development firehosed down your throat in the first 5 minutes? Did you feel manipulated after you watched 'Million Dollar Baby'? You'll hate this one too. Someone needs to revoke Eastwood's lifetime pass.… Expand

1 of 5 users found this helpful

2

JesseM.Jan 2, 2009

Contrived writing, poor acting and terribly paced. An overall disappointment. Eastwood has consistently been one of the most generous and rewarding directors in Hollywood for some time, but this trite is the sort of stuff that unfortunately Contrived writing, poor acting and terribly paced. An overall disappointment. Eastwood has consistently been one of the most generous and rewarding directors in Hollywood for some time, but this trite is the sort of stuff that unfortunately stains a career. The only clever, endearing, and ultimately redeeming part of this film is its ending, but it can only pack so much punch. And any force it had was totally suffocated by the embarrassing exitlude sung by Eastwood himself.… Expand

1 of 5 users found this helpful

2

DavidCJan 5, 2009

Give me a break, this movie stinks. Probably the most overrated movie I remember seeing in the theaters. What's the worst part about Gran Torino? The acting, story line, script, director, characters...take your pick.

1 of 5 users found this helpful

2

DesmondJan 16, 2009

This plays like a MADTV parody of Clint Eastwood. Still gets a 2 because I enjoyed laughing at the poorly executed cliches.

0 of 1 users found this helpful

2

KastianOct 17, 2010

The acting was forced. The only natural sounding actor in the movie was Clint Eastwood. The message was ham-fisted and flat out handed to audiences at the end. The script was incredibly contrived.

Overall, I felt that movie suffered from anThe acting was forced. The only natural sounding actor in the movie was Clint Eastwood. The message was ham-fisted and flat out handed to audiences at the end. The script was incredibly contrived.

Overall, I felt that movie suffered from an unfortunates messiah complex and was unintentionally racist. An white, angry, growling old man has to save everyone else because they can't take care of themselves.… Expand

1 of 8 users found this helpful17

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2

Delta_AssaultSep 28, 2011

Well, this left me disappointed. The Hmong actors were **** terrible. Specially that Toad guy, him screaming to get out of the basement at the end was laughable. "Walt! Waaaaaaaalllllt!" Cmon, that was just the worst scene in the movie. AndWell, this left me disappointed. The Hmong actors were **** terrible. Specially that Toad guy, him screaming to get out of the basement at the end was laughable. "Walt! Waaaaaaaalllllt!" Cmon, that was just the worst scene in the movie. And how the hell could a **** like him even have a driver's license to drive the Gran Torino? It was inexplicable.

It was strange, this film was trying to show us to be nicer to our neighbors and more accepting of foreign cultures... but then they go out of their way to show us that the Hmong are really weird and freaky. Like... no touching the tops of people's heads? An actual **** voodoo witch doctor? Cranky old woman spitting out a bunch of weird brown fluid? But hey, it's all good cause their food's really tasty, right? Right? Heh...

The padre was just annoying me throughout the entire film. Not badly acted, but his character just came off as a sanctimonious prick. Mission accomplished if that was what they were aiming for.

Clint was good as usual. But that ending... just didn't work for me. I know they were setting us up for a more traditional ending and then went for an unorthodox approach, but still... I wanted that traditional ending. Instead, they gave us Walt committing suicide, essentially. Very disappointing ending.… Expand

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

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1

PeteMar 1, 2009

Giving this movie a 1 was generous, but I thought they deserved a point for working out how to turn the camera on! The first movie I have ever walked out on; the lack of strength in plot, sceenplay, or acting was cringe-worthy at best.

1 of 5 users found this helpful

1

JasonB.Jan 26, 2009

Horrible!!! The acting was terrible, Eastwood was over the top, several times growling as if he was going to "hulk" out, the racial slurs really got old by the second half. The story felt like a hallmark tv movie.

1 of 6 users found this helpful

0

PaulS.Jan 1, 2009

I just don't understand movies nowadays. The movie was terrible. The story line was horrible. The acting was a joke. This movie was horrendous.

1 of 6 users found this helpful

0

VanceBJan 17, 2009

The grand lesson of this movie is that the way to really defeat evil people is to allow them to kill you. Because maybe, just maybe, they might have to spend a few years in prison--boy that will teach 'em! This movie is the ultimate The grand lesson of this movie is that the way to really defeat evil people is to allow them to kill you. Because maybe, just maybe, they might have to spend a few years in prison--boy that will teach 'em! This movie is the ultimate result of a culture that has become completely pacified and sissy-fied. It was a good movie up to the end. It made some valid commentary on our over-offended society (friends throw ethnic insults at each other without getting offended--unthinkable!). I love Clint Eastwood as an actor, but he has completely sold out to this pacifist mentality--the best way to teach bad people a lesson is to let them hurt you.… Expand

0 of 6 users found this helpful

Gran Torino

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