Gran Torino is a 2008 American drama film directed by, produced by, and starring Clint Eastwood. The film features a predominantly Hmong cast, as well as Eastwood’s younger son, Scott Eastwood. Eastwood’s older son, Kyle Eastwood, provided the score. The film opened to theaters in a limited release in North America on December 12, 2008, and later to a wide release on January 9, 2009.

Gran Torino movie poster

Walt Kowalski (Clint Eastwood), a retired automotive worker and a Korean War veteran, lives in a changing Detroit neighborhood which is dominated by immigrants. At the start of the movie, Walt is attending his wife’s funeral, bristling at the shallow eulogy of young Father Janovich (Christopher Carley). He similarly has no patience for his two sons and their families who show little respect for Walt or their late mother. Throughout the movie Walt views them as spoiled and self-absorbed who avoid him, unless it is of their own self-serving interest; his sons see him as “always disappointed” with them and their families.

Walt’s teenage Hmong neighbors, a shy Thao (Bee Vang) and his feisty sister Sue Vang Lor (Ahney Her), live with their mother and eccentric grandmother. When a Hispanic gang confronts Thao, the Hmong gang, led by Thao’s older cousin Spider (Doua Moua), helps Thao by frightening the Hispanic gang and forcing them to flee. The Hmong gang, at that point, tries to persuade Thao to join them. Thao’s initiation is to steal Walt’s prized 1972 Gran Torino. Walt interrupts the robbery, pointing a rifle in Thao’s face and forcing him to flee. After a few days, Spider and his gang return. With Sue at his side, Thao manages to verbally confront them to no avail. The gang drags Thao off his porch in an attempt to assault him. His family tries desperately to fend off Spider and his cohorts. The conflict ends when Walt, who fought in in the United States Army’s 1st Cavalry Division, threatens the gang members with his M1 Garand rifle and orders them to “get off my lawn.” They leave the neighborhood, telling Walt to watch his back.

The Vang Lors thank a grumpy and impatient Walt, who insists he only wanted the “gooks” off his property. When the neighborhood hears of Walt’s brave act, they reward him by decorating his porch with Hmong dishes and garden plants. Thao admits to trying to steal his Gran Torino. Walt is not pleased, seeking only to be left alone. Father Janovich goes to Walt, reminding him of his wife’s desire for him to go to confession. Walt refuses.

After seeing Sue being harassed by three black teenagers, while her “date” (Scott Eastwood) cannot help her, Walt steps in to rescue her, confronting the teenagers and threatening them with a Colt 1911 pistol. Sue gets to know Walt, and invites him to a family barbecue, bringing him closer to her family, explaining Hmong culture and that during the Vietnam War they fought on “his” side. Sue, Thao, and their mother confront Walt and his Labrador Retriever Daisy the next day, volunteering Thao to work for Walt to atone for his attempted theft of the Gran Torino. Walt has Thao clean up the neighborhood until his debt is paid and shows Thao the ways of American men. He gets Thao a construction job and a date with another Hmong girl called Youa, whom Walt refers to as “Yum Yum”.

After discovering blood when he coughs, Walt visits the doctor. Here again he is confronted by the changing times, seeming to be the only white man in the waiting room, his name is mispronounced by a Muslim nurse, and he’s informed by his examining Asian woman doctor that his old familiar doctor retired three years earlier. After viewing the results of his examination he calls his son and awkwardly tries to talk but the the call is cut short when the son tells Walt he is busy. The Hmong gang, meanwhile, keeps pressuring Thao to join them. When they find Thao alone, they mug him and burn his face with a cigarette. Walt confronts and beats one of the Hmong gang members in retaliation. The gang returns days later and shoots up the Vang Lors’ home, wounding Thao in the neck. Sue, who had left for her aunt’s house before the shooting, returns, beaten and raped. The Hmong keep a code of silence and do not tell police who did it. Walt storms home, punching walls and bloodying his knuckles in anger. Father Janovich who has “worked with Asian gangs”, visits. The two drink beer together, and discuss what Walt will do about it. He eventually goes to confession with Father Janovich, who after hearing a few old, and somewhat minor sins, tells him to pray.

Gran Torino movie poster ver.2

An angry Thao urges Walt to take vengeance on the Hmong gang with him. Walt first tells him to come back later as revenge must be planned carefully. When Thao returns, Walt gives him the Silver Star medal he earned in Korea but locks him in the basement, saying he does not want him to live with the consequences of killing someone. Walt drives to confront the gang, calling Sue to have her unlock the basement and let Thao out. Outside the gang members adjacent houses Walt berates them for the shootout and rape. As the jumpy gang members show their automatic weapons, Walt waits and watches neighbors begin to look out of their windows and from behind doors to witness. He takes out a cigarette from his jacket, puts it in his mouth, and asks the gang for a light. He begins praying the “Hail Mary” (which was the penance assigned to him by Father Janovich in confession) and then quickly reaches into his jacket. Thinking Walt is going to shoot, the gang unleashes a hail of fire, riddling Walt with bullets. A shot of Walt lying dead on the ground reveals he had grabbed his lighter not a gun. Thao and Sue arrive at the crime scene and ask police what happened. Speaking in Hmong to a Hmong police officer they are told that the gang has been arrested and will be imprisoned for a long time, having killed an unarmed man. Hmong neighbors who witnessed the killing break their code of silence and testify against the gang members.

A funeral service is held for Walt with Father Janovich delivering a memorable eulogy of Walt, who is to be buried in a tailored suit he bought the same day he was killed. Thao and his family attend in a large number opposite Walt’s family, which has Walt’s son wondering how the Vang Lors know Walt. In his will, Walt leaves his house to the church, and his Gran Torino to Thao, much to the surprise and chagrin of his family. In the final scene, Thao is driving the Gran Torino with Walt’s dog, Daisy, next to him.