I was excited to see Gran Torino, I’d heard from many that it was quite good. I was surprised to find my initial reaction was quite different than I expected it to be. The characters in the film seemed too over the top for me to believe. I felt they were trying a bit too hard to show me how cranky, racist, intolerable, or helpless they were. Coupled with less than stellar acting from the rest of the cast, Gran Turino was a tough pill to swallow for me.

I felt that the film’s theme was rather generic, and that overall the drama was nothing special. A few short glimpses at a brilliant story were always followed by long scenes that felt awkward and crudely pieced together. The only characters I truly believed were Walt and his would-be pastor. The only enlightening scenes were between the two of them, and occasionally the character Tao would bring some splendor to the table.

I guess my biggest problem with Gran Torino was that I felt no vested emotion in any of the characters until the film’s climax, which left me with a sense that the movie really started at the climax, and that the entire beginning had just been filler. I’d like to see it again to confirm my initial reactions, but for now Gran Torino leaves me feeling like I’ve just had a Sour Patch Kid: sour with a hint of sweetness.

Gran Torino, Review