Gran Torino is a 2008 American drama film directed by, produced by, and starring Clint Eastwood, and also starring Bee Vang and Ahney Her. The film marks Eastwood's return to a lead acting role after four years, his previous leading role having been in Million Dollar Baby, and Eastwood has stated that this is his final film as an actor. The film features a large Hmong American cast, as well as one of Eastwood's younger sons, Scott Eastwood, playing Trey. Eastwood's oldest 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 worldwide release on January 9, 2009.It was the first mainstream U.S. film to feature Hmong Americans.
The story follows Walt Kowalski, a recently widowed Korean War veteran who is alienated from his family and angry at the world. Walt's young Hmong neighbor, Thao Vang Lor, is pressured into trying to steal Walt's prized 1972 Ford Gran Torino by his cousin for his initiation into a gang. Walt then develops a relationship with the boy and his family.
Gran Torino was a critical and commercial success, grossing over $260 million worldwide. Within the Hmong community in the United States, the film had some praise and some criticism.
情節簡介：
Plot：
Walt Kowalski (Clint Eastwood), a gruff retired Polish American Ford factory worker and Korean War US Army veteran, has recently been widowed after 50 years of marriage. His neighborhood near Detroit in Highland Park, Michigan, formerly populated by working-class white families, is now dominated by poor Asian immigrants, and gang violence is commonplace. Adding to the isolation he feels is the emotional detachment of his family, noticed in the irreverence of his grandchildren during his late wife's funeral and the indifference of their parents. He vehemently rejects a suggestion from one of his sons to move to a retirement community (sensing they want his home and possessions), and lives alone with his labrador retriever, Daisy. Walt suffers from coughing fits, occasionally coughing up blood, but conceals this from his family. Father Janovich, the young Catholic priest in whom his wife had confided, tries to comfort him, but Walt openly disdains the much younger, inexperienced man.
The Hmong Vang Lor family reside next door to Walt. Initially, he wants nothing to do with his new neighbors, particularly after he catches Thao Vang Lor, a member of that family, attempting to steal his 1972 Ford Gran Torino as a coerced initiation into a Hmong gang run by Thao's cousin, "Spider". The gang is infuriated and attacks Thao, but Walt confronts them with an M1 Garand rifle and chases them off, earning the respect of the Hmong community. As penance, Thao's mother makes him work for Walt, who has him do odd jobs around the neighborhood, and gradually the two form a grudging respect for each other, aided by Thao's sister Sue. Walt helps Thao get a construction job and gives him advice on dating a popular Hmong girl, Youa, whom he calls "Yum Yum."
The gang continues to pressure Thao and again assaults him, on his way home from work. Walt sees Thao's injuries and visits the gang members' house where he attacks a gang member. In retaliation, the gang performs a drive-by shooting on the Vang Lor home, injuring Thao, and kidnapping and raping Sue. The next day, Thao seeks Walt's help to exact revenge, who tells him to return later in the afternoon. In the meantime, Walt makes personal preparations: he buys a fitted suit, gets a haircut and makes a confession to Father Janovich. When Thao returns, Walt takes him to the basement and gives him his Silver Star; Walt then locks Thao in his basement and tells him that he has been haunted by the memory of killing an enemy soldier (which he had not confessed to Janovich) and insists that Thao must never be haunted with the experience of killing another man.
Walt drives to the house of the gang members. When they spot him, they draw their weapons. He talks loudly (openly berating them), drawing the attention of the neighbors. Putting a cigarette in his mouth, he asks for a light; he then slowly puts his hand in his jacket then provocatively pulls it out as if it's a gun, inciting the gang members to shoot and kill him. As he falls to the ground, his hand opens to reveal an Army lighter: he was unarmed. Sue frees Thao and they drive to the crime scene in Walt's Gran Torino. A Hmong police officer tells them the gang will be arrested and imprisoned for a long time for murder due to the number of willing neighborhood witnesses.
Walt's funeral mass is performed by Father Janovich and attended not only by his family, but also by Thao, Sue, and many of the Hmong community. Afterward, his last will and testament is read, and to the surprise of his family, Walt leaves them nothing: his house goes to the church and his cherished Gran Torino to Thao. As the film ends, Thao is seen driving the car along Lakeshore Drive with Walt's dog, Daisy.
P.S：英文版維基百科上的官方原版