Does the great Clint Eastwood have a huge fan followingamong cine lovers? Maybe he has his loyalfollowing as a film maker more rather than an actor(of late). The Septuagenarianis generally making his own independent movies backed by the Big Hollywoodstudios(?) and his pace being rapid. Presently Changeling(just released inIndia; director) and Gran Torino(actor/director) are his latest releases. My opinionabout Eastwood was that he makes damn serious movies, most of them considered greatthough I am yet to see Letters from Iwo Jima, Unforgiven - one of his best works considered and hisfamous spaghetti western films.
I watched his latest serious take on the present AmericanSociety plagued with ethnic problems and the degrading American family system withoutbeing bored as subtle comic elements are embedded in Walt Kowalski(Eastwood’scharacter), the retired Korean War Veteran. Eastwood towers over the film withhis mean and real performance, his face expression will last with you when themovie is over. The movie has backgroundscore whenever required and is provided by the director’s son. It carries theserious stamp of Eastwood films.
The relations of Waltz with the Padri Janovich and Hmong boymakes the centre of the story line and without being bossy or vociferous he successfullyembedded his values in these two supporting characters who go through a giveand take relationship with Waltz during the course of the plot. Though Eastwoodportrays a character that is a bit of a loner but he becomes selfless when hehas to fight or rise against injustices once he gets the feel of them. Even hissacrifice at the end is befitting solution for his neighborhood which is ethnicallyChinese and his neighbors are scared to mix with the mainstream Americansliving next door to them.
The plot starts this way: Following the death of his wife, Kowalski is leftin the house in which he has lived for decades with only his dog Daisy forcompany. The people he once called neighbors have moved away or died, replacedby immigrants from Southeast Asia, whom he despises.His sons and their familiesare waiting for him to die so someone can claim Walt’s most prized possession, a 1972 Ford Gran Torino. They rest you can figure out when you watch thismovie.