reinforced in the scene “Inevitable Disappointment,” when Walt catches his granddaughter Ashley in the garage smoking a cigarette. She walks up to him asks, “So what are you going to do with it when you, like, die?” (Gran Torino) in reference to Walt’s most prized possession the Gran Torino. This dialogue shows the lack of
weeks of learning American studies, it can be said that “Gran Torino”, directed by Clint Eastwood, is the most enchanting one taking an unbiased look at race issues. Personally, I believe that the film successfully illustrates racial stereotypes and discrimination against Asian American through Walt Kowalski’s attitude; the character of Thao - Sue and the depiction of Thao’s family, along with the Hmong community. Additionally, “Gran Torino” also unfolds a beautiful picture of friendship overcoming
The film, “Gran Torino,” is an American drama film that follows the journey of a grizzled old Korean War veteran following the death of his late wife of 50 years. The film was released to select audiences in the United States in December of 2008 and was released internationally in January of the following year. “Gran Torino” is directed and produced by Clint Eastwood, who also stars as the films lead character, Walk Kowalski. It was given fairly positive reviews by critics and fans alike, earning
he had been given and work to find both large and small ways to contribute to the public good. Yet despite this assumption, the horror of death had scarred the lives of many war veterans, obviating them from the joy of living. Clint Eastwood’s Gran Torino (2008) explores this idea of returned war vets and presents it through the persona of Walt Kowalski, a racist retired autoworker, Korean war veteran, and the film’s eventual hero of his multiracial Detroit neighbourhood. Riding on the same wave of
The Gran Torino was first made in 1968; and for Walt, this car is his happiness. In the film, Gran Torino, directed and starring Clint Eastwood, Walt Kowalski is a bitter, aggressive, and racist Polish-American man, who through the course of time learns to accept his surroundings. Through his neighbors Thao and Sue, Walt learns to appreciate and greatly care for the Hmong people. Gran Torino symbolizes Walt’s past, Walt’s masculinity, and the progression of Walt’s character over time attributed to
Gran Torino is a all American story based off a man living in the gang ridden parts of Detroit. Clint Eastwood plays retired American assembly line worker and Korean War veteran. His highland park neighborhood in the Detroit area of Michigan was full of working class middle Americans and is now overtaken by poor Asian immigrants and gang violence is common. Set in Detroit, Michigan the movie is the first of its kind to future Hmong Americans who came in large migrations. The story follows Walt (Clint
A hero is defined as someone who is acknowledged for their courageous and selfless behavior or actions. Clint Eastwood’s character Walt Kowalski, in the film Gran Torino is a stellar example of this definition of a hero. Walt was more than a decorated war hero; he helped his neighbors and community. Eastwood’s character generated opportunities for Thao, a young man who didn’t have a father and lacked guidance. Walt saved Thao’s sister, Sue from an unfavorable situation as well as gave his own life
persistent prejudice when a misguided Hmong teenage from his neighborhood is peer pressured to steal his highly cherished Gran Torino. Hmong, which means “free people” are culturally Chinese and fought with the United States during the Vietnam War and then migrated to the United States at the end of the war. The two things that matter most to Walt in life are his 1972 Gran Torino that signifies his happier
The Ford 427 FE model engine was intentionally made for drag racing. The frame is large but,light weigh for a better performance. It weights between 120 and 195 pounds depending on the materials it is constructed of. The rear end is lifted for better air flow( super motor sports ) .The engine is present in Thunderbolt, Galaxy, and Fair lane ( ford motor Co ) This engine has the ability to reach a speed of 185 miles per hour. It also has overhead cams causing the engine to move faster. It would have
The movie “Gran Torino” has many instances of inequality. Inequality in the United States of America is a problem that has been around and will continue to be around until the United States no longer exists. Since Clint Eastwood’s character, Walt Kowalski, is a racist, inequality abounds in this movie. The movie shows the interactions Walt has with his grandchildren and, more importantly, the Hmong people. Walt has a problem communicating with any non-white person. He is wildly inappropriate and
The movie, Gran Torino was released in 2008. The movie tells a story about a retired auto worker who was also a Korean War vet. The retired vet, Walt Kowalski who is played by Clint Eastwood has an empty life and fills his days with drinking beer, repairing his home, and despising the Asian, Black, and Latino families in the neighborhood. In the movie he becomes a reluctant hero when he stands up to the gangs who tried to force an Asian teen to steel Walt’s most prized position, his car. An unexpected
For the third and final paper film review, I decided to watch “Gran Torino” after I heard our class hyped it up and classmates said it is the best film about Hmong that has ever been released. I believe the representation of the Hmong characters in “Gran Torino” are closely aligned with stereotypical representations of Asian Americans. For instance, Sue and Thao, part of the family that live next door to Walt Kowalski, and most of the members of the Hmong characters in the film, are depicted as people
Eastwood and Tyldum use particular cinematic techniques to support their underlying biases in what makes a national hero. Eastwood is very aware how the title of a national hero is branded on Sully and questions the validity of this. The ultimate scene of Sully was when he was questioned by his superiors a testament to Eastwood's belief. The NTSB interview scene is exemplified, as the public senselessly follow ‘national heroes', and Eastwood wants to show that Sully is a national hero as he fights
Today’s society is brimming with discrimination, violence and prejudice between races and cultures. The critically acclaimed drama, Gran Torino does an exceptional job in tackling these issues head on. Clint Eastwood as Walt Kowalski, is angered by the ongoing cultural changes throughout his neighbourhood. However, as Walt develops a strong relationship with a Hmong family, he recognizes the importance of acceptance in society, while overall enhancing his character development. Through Clint Eastwood’s
Gran Torino (Clint Eastwood, 2008) draws attention to the cultural differences between people living in a working class neighborhood in Michigan. An ideology of multiculturalism is promoted as Walt, a heterosexual white man, moves past his prejudices and forms a relationship with his Hmong neighbors. It promotes this ideology, however, without challenging hegemonic white masculinity and has an underlying theme of natural white superiority, as Walt takes on the role of a white savior for this cultural
Gran Torino Gran Torino by Clint Eastwood is a story of a gang and those that coexsist by that gang that has inner dilemmas dealing with the reality of gang violence, and living in a low class neighborhood. Many of the residents of the neighborhood deal with their own hardships of living in a day to day in a run down area and inner family problems. All of these problems create tension between the different people of the neighborhood. Most are afraid of gangs that take over the neighborhood, others
One theme that I found to be very interesting is the struggles that Asian Americans have faced in the past and the present. I never knew about the struggles that have been happening in places like China and Laos. I never realized how many families come from poverty and violence. I have only learned very little about historical events such as Vietnam. I am only now becoming more aware about the human rights problem in China. I am so used to seeing places like Tokyo, Japan in movies and television
The movie Gran Torino from 2008 stars Clint Eastwood as a Walt Kowalski, a Korean War veteran. The film starts at his wife’s funeral and when he goes back home, he notices his neighbors, who are Hmong. Walt’s displeasure with them is clear as he spits when he sees the grandmother of the family. That night, the Hmong boy Thao tries to steal his Gran Torino as an initiation to join his cousin’s gang. His attempt is fruitless and caught by Walt. Thao then tries to avoid joining the gang, but they come
In the 2008 movie Gran Torino, Clint Eastwood stars as Walt Kowalski, a retired autoworker who is recently widowed. Walt lives in what once was a thriving middle class, predominantly white, Detroit neighborhood that now is run down, ran by gangs, and has violence crime. Walt’s neighborhood is also has a large Asian community. A lot of this movie focuses on racial prejudices he has towards the Asian people living next door. Walt is a Korean War veteran and often recalls the horrific treatment of the
In Clint Eastwood’s Gran Torino (2008), the main character Thao Vang Lor struggles to fulfill the male role in a Hmong household, and initially Thao is introduced washing dishes, considered “women’s work”. To obtain his masculinity, Thao has two paths to choose. The first is to join his cousin’s gang, which will inevitably lead to jail. The other option is to accept the tutelage of his neighbor Walt Kowalski, who will teach him to be a self-sufficient American man. Thao accepts his help, and Walt