I simply cannot understand why this movie has garnered such favorable reviews from both critics and fans. It is one of the most ham-fisted pieces of dreck I've ever seen. Do you find it insulting to have the plot spoonfed to you? Would you rather watch actors act, rather than have the character development firehosed down your throat in the first 5 minutes? Did you feel manipulated after you watched 'Million Dollar Baby'? You'll hate this one too. Someone needs to revoke Eastwood's lifetime pass.… Expand

Giving this movie a 1 was generous, but I thought they deserved a point for working out how to turn the camera on! The first movie I have ever walked out on; the lack of strength in plot, sceenplay, or acting was cringe-worthy at best.

A lot of potential, spoiled by reprehensible acting from everyone except Clint. I was laughing in parts where I really shouldn't have been laughing. But still enjoyable enough to earn a slightly passing grade.

I just don't understand movies nowadays. The movie was terrible. The story line was horrible. The acting was a joke. This movie was horrendous.

Wow, all these 10's?!? This movie was average at best. It was better than Eastwood's "Blood Work" movie but besides that i was not that good. The acting was terrible (yes, I know all the Hmong's were first-timers) and the story was boring. And I've heard from everyone that it had a bunch of laugh's in the film...The only time everyone laughed in the theatre was when he dropped one of his 568 racial slurs in the film. Its just a movie full of the slurs; gooks, fish-heads, swamp-rats, japs, zipperheads...I can't even remember them all. I shook my head coming out of the theatre after seeing caucasians already laughing and repeating those degrading slurs against Asians. ...I was going to give it a 0, to try and even it up but a 5 is what it deserves. Erase all the slurs and it still is only a 5. Overhyped!!… Expand

Not nearly as good as all the hype. Forced dialogue, bad acting, contrived writing

Contrived writing, poor acting and terribly paced. An overall disappointment. Eastwood has consistently been one of the most generous and rewarding directors in Hollywood for some time, but this trite is the sort of stuff that unfortunately stains a career. The only clever, endearing, and ultimately redeeming part of this film is its ending, but it can only pack so much punch. And any force it had was totally suffocated by the embarrassing exitlude sung by Eastwood himself.… Expand

Give me a break, this movie stinks. Probably the most overrated movie I remember seeing in the theaters. What's the worst part about Gran Torino? The acting, story line, script, director, characters...take your pick.

Solid comedy/drama, if a bit corny and stilted at times.

It's Eastwood direction, but it's no Eastwood film that I want to own, or even recommend. The Hmong theme is utterly replaceable with any struggling race in terms of gang violence and identity, and does very little to highlight Hmong cultural value -- in fact, one of the film's unintentional jokes is that it summarily dismisses the Hmong as "just more Asians", and even fails during its expositional scenes to convince anyone of more than what's already commonly known: the Hmong fought with us more than 30 years ago, and were supplanted to places like Wisconsin in following decades as refugees. So, anyone under 30 might walk away with some new superficial knowledge, but don't expect them to swallow the tired race theme -- political correctness and inverseness have BOTH been declared dead by succeeding generations. Audiences over 30 might laugh longer and harder at the endless racism, but what's the value there? And why has nobody attacked the appallingly poor acting in the younger actors? This would be summarily thrown out if it had been directed by anyone else -- even anyone known.… Expand

Horrible!!! The acting was terrible, Eastwood was over the top, several times growling as if he was going to "hulk" out, the racial slurs really got old by the second half. The story felt like a hallmark tv movie.

Just echoing the sentiments of some other voters: poor acting by the young cast members; unbelievably fast bonding between ardent racist Walt and his Hmong neighbors; cliched situations used to create conflict; blatant exposition at times (such as when Walt talks to himself in the mirror about how much he has in common with the Hmong--he may as well just turned to the camera and spoke the line to the audience). And his singing at the end seals this raw deal. Don't believe the hype, as they say. It's just average at best.… Expand

Decent performance from Eastwood but really nothing new at all in the gangster / redemption / retribution themes the movie throws up.

We all love Clint, but he should have made a better choice to showcase his acting skills. This movie is the work of a first-time screenwriter, and it shows. It is often amateurish, cliched, and sentimental. I've seen better made-for-TV movies. Some good moments, yes, but overall it is a big disappointment. Clint--you can do better!!!

Unforgiven was a fabulous Eastwood film. Gran Torino is different but another of Clint's masterpieces. Poignant, funny, raw, emotional.. it has it all and so well.

All I can say is Clint Eastwood is a legend but legends can make make mediocre movies too. Case in point, Gan Torino, only wish the reviewers had the guts to admit this, instead of acting like fanboys and praising everything Clint Eastwood does.

Gran Torino is maybe the best movie I have ever seen. It is full of everything to pleasure both genders. I watched at my father's apartment with my sister. We all had a great time with this awesome movie. 10 out of 10 is not enough, so I will cheat and say 12 out of 10 :P

The acting was forced. The only natural sounding actor in the movie was Clint Eastwood. The message was ham-fisted and flat out handed to audiences at the end. The script was incredibly contrived. Overall, I felt that movie suffered from an unfortunates messiah complex and was unintentionally racist. An white, angry, growling old man has to save everyone else because they can't take care of themselves.… Expand

This movie painted a perfect picture of how people are nowadays.It was a masterpiece, the slamming on foreign cars especially was great. Anyone giving this movie a low score probably did so because the movie made them realize they fit into one of the groups being heckled the whole time.

Gran Torino may not be Eastwood's best but it sure ranks in the top 5. While watching the movie you may think the script is all contrived -- until the very ending.

Naysayers be damned, great movie. The reality, as one poster pointed out, is that spoiled teens and their spoiled parent's would probably not appreciate the calling out that they receive in this movie, everyone else (who has a sense of humor) will love it.

An amazing performance by Clint Eastwood, and it astounds me that even as old as he is, he can still make a 20 year old mucle-head piss his pants out of pure bad-assery.

They stopped makin' movies like this 'round 1977. deeply affecting.

This movie was the Bomb! Clint Eastwood knows how to act... no doubt. Don't miss this movie, it will most likely be the last you see staring the great. A+

A fantastically worked critique of modern American society. One of the best films i have seen in ages. Eastwood is typically brilliant as both actor and director. There is a reason he came back to acting this film is brilliant.

Classic Eastwood...gritty portrayal of current urban existence.

I loved Gran Torino...Clint Eastwood was superb in his "last" role...I cried at the end and found it very moving. I agree that the Priest did not do a good acting job. He was very mis-cast.

Great performances. Great pace. Classic Eastwood ending, as always.

It's a shame that most of the people can't realize this is not about "gangster / redemption / retribution ", but well, like Lisa Schwarzbaum said: This is subtle, perceptive stuff.

This movie was one of the best yet in the last 3 years that I have seen. The thing of this movie that struck me as memorable is that so many people in the midwest are similar to Mr. Kowalski rough on the surface and so good hearted underneath. Anyone that wants to know what the midwest is about just watch this movie and it will give you a glimpse of reality. Thank you Clint for your incredible performance and direction.… Expand

The two Asian siblings' acting is a joke. Paris Hilton could probably out-act them. They make the movie very hard to watch.

The grand lesson of this movie is that the way to really defeat evil people is to allow them to kill you. Because maybe, just maybe, they might have to spend a few years in prison--boy that will teach 'em! This movie is the ultimate result of a culture that has become completely pacified and sissy-fied. It was a good movie up to the end. It made some valid commentary on our over-offended society (friends throw ethnic insults at each other without getting offended--unthinkable!). I love Clint Eastwood as an actor, but he has completely sold out to this pacifist mentality--the best way to teach bad people a lesson is to let them hurt you.… Expand

Just about the time the joke gets old the movie shifts gears. Overall a respectable movie that deserves a look on the big screen. I was surprised. BTW, Clint gets a 4 for his song during the credits.

Clint is playing the John Wayne card by doing his Dirty Harry routine. It's tedious to a degree yet nonetheless entertaining if you let go of any expectation of artistry he shows in his non-starring vehicles. He's a great director but his acting is really stiff.

One of the best movies I have ever seen

A really good and heartfelt movie. Even though the acting may seem stiff, it felt real. Not that over dramatic type deal. If the movie was enough to make me tear up then yes what a great movie it is. People who've given bad reviews don't deserve to be critics. They don't even know what a good movie is, even if it smacks em right in the face.

Clint's in a league of his own. If this was his last movie he went out with his boots on. Certainly deserving of all the praise it is getting. Perhaps Hollywood should take some lessons on acting and directing from Clint. Excellent.

Its only shortcoming was the irony of life and a shortage of good young actors.

I expected this move to be a Dirty Harry retread. I certainly starts that way but becomes something else. There is too many racial slurs and exaggerated "man to man" swearing. This movie is far from perfect but Clint pulls it off. It good to see Detroit neighborhoods as they truly are. Poor and run down but people keep trying to live there.

This typical Clint Eastwood film exceeded my expectations of a horrible"shoot 'em up" movie. Some parts of the movie really made me want to meet Walt (Clint Eastwood). Over all this movie gets a firm 9/10 from me.

Excellent movie. While there is plenty of "offensive" language, the overall theme of the movie is an old man, set in his ways, who fought asians earlier in his life, and so was unhappy with them moving into his neighborhood. As the movie progresses, he not only lays down the law to one of the local gangs, brings many laughs to the audience (some so rapid that you miss a second or third joke while still laughing at the first) and leaves you genuinely enjoying your time spent watching, but grows to have an understanding and appreciation for their culture. Unfortunately, the movie's namesake makes hardly an appearance, and doesn't play a significant role in the storyline. A shame, because (while not my favorite classic muscle car) it's a gorgeous machine that does indeed demand a bit of respect and appreciation. Very good movie. An excited 10 rating. Watched it twice so far, and will be buying the DVD as soon as it's out.… Expand

"Gran Torino" is a near-miss for Clint Eastwood: by far his best film of the year, but far from "Letters from Iwo Jima" or "Million Dollar Baby," which not only are more realistic than this surreal and borderline stereotypical representation of race-relations and family-ties, but also pact a more profound umph - that feeling you get when you've actually learned something - than what is ever revealed of Walt.… Expand

Incredibly powerful, both humorous and moving at the same time. One of the best films I've seen in a long time.

Was very surprised because the trailer made it look like Deathwish or something. I wasn't ready for how funny it was. Then, the last third of the movie became sort of an urban western. Really great and understated film - 10 of 10!

Eastwood is cool. Movie made me cry.

Funny & Spiritual.

All the previous comments by "3 or less" pretty much sum it up. I told my wife I wish I could have those 2 hours back. What a waste of time.

Absolutely amazing film. It's probably my favorite movie this year, if not of all time.

Great Movie. I would give it a ten. Great action, plot, acting, etc. I would have nominated this movie for best picture. It is my third favorite film last year. My other two favorites were The Dark Knight and Slumdog Millionaire. The other two movies I would have nominated for Best Picture are Iron Man,and the Changeling, followed by Doubt. You have to see this movie. Whoever didn't like this movie, no affence, but flat out, is just an idiot or has very poor taste in movies! See this movie!!!… Expand

This movie had so much potential; a great storyline, excellent plot development and a dramatic and touching ending. However all of this could not make me overlook the absolutely horrible acting in this film. Clint Eastwood might as well have played all the parts himself, Eddie Murphy-style.

Clint Eastwood's direction makes this film work. It is too overstated, but it's a film that you can't help but admire and like. Great performances all around, and it's well written and very moving.

Surprisingly thoughtful and hopeful in cracking the fault lines between the races and what people fear they don't like or don't know. Cheers to Mr Eastwood for this great film

The movie is one of the best films I've seen in years. This is plain and simply a masterpiece made out of a plot that a 10 year old could have written. And that, I have learned, is what separates the true moviemakers from the wannabes.

This is definantly in my top 10 of favorite movies. You would think that it would be all about Walt, our hero, being a tough guy, but that isn't the case. While Clint does sport his usual hard outer shell, you also get to see his humerous side and, even more importantly, his soft side. Granted, at the beggining the movie doen't seem like much, the middle and ending is what puts it over the top. The relationships Walt forms and how he deals with a gang troubled young teen is what makes this movie spectacular. The plot twists will have you questioning humanity. Yes it does have some good action but that isn't really the purpose of the movie. And for those of you wary of this movie because of racism, don't worry, Walt insults all the major ethnicities (Asians, Mexicans, Jews, Blacks, etc.) so no one is left out. He hates (almost) everyone equally.… Expand

One of the best movies I have ever seen

Gran Torino is the best film of the year and Eastwood's performance is one of the best of all times.He must win the oscar for best actor this year.

Very entertaining film, which is the reason I go to the movies. Great dialog, a lot of different emotions from humor to sadness. A subject a lot of people probably can relate to if they live in a large city. Eastwood continues to amaze with the quality of films he puts out.

Clint Eastwood is excellent in portraying a character you really come to know well and care about.

Best Movie of the Year! A must-see!! I thoroughly enjoyed this film. The racial humor makes you laugh throughout, and the characters have a good on screen rapport that draws you into the story. Very entertaining!

Suprisingly funny, mabey a bit cliched but I enjoyed it! It ends sadly and reminds me that this may be Clints last movie, a sad thing indeed.

My boyfriend & I go see movies all the time. I am hard to please when it comes to movies...and this movie was one of the best movies I have seen in a long time. It has a great plot and well worth the time & money!

Great story. Clint still has what it takes. Perfect movie for a 78 year old Dirty Harry.

Wow...this film made it to my top 10 list of favorite movies, ever! Aside from a bit of bad acting here and there by the newcomers, I absolutely loved it! Gripping, touching and very emotional...a Do Not Miss movie!

I found this movie experience to be emotionally draining. No one but Clint Eastwood could have played his role as Kowalski. And it wasn't all tense and somber - there were lots of laogh out loud momemts, which made Kowalski even more endearing. Highly recommended!

Quite frankly, I think this film is highly overrated. Eastwood gives a fine performance. But it's another hum-drum tail of aging man who is mad at life miraculously developing an unlikely friendship with Joe Blow. Walt Kowalski goes from Ivan the terrible to Mother Theresa in a matter of days. How many times can you hear the work "gook" and "slope eye" before it just starts to grow old. Not a horrible film, but wait until you can watch it cheaper than $10.50.… Expand

Such and wonderful and powerful movie. Funny and touching all at the same time. Clint gives one of the best performances I've seen in quite a while and he fits the character perfectly.

I think critics are letting their albeit well-deserved love of Clint Eastwood cloud their opinions. The dialogue felt stiff and some of the acting left much to be desired. Eastwood is excellent and there are funny moments, but this is not in the same state, much less room, as Slumdog. And his familiar body posture -- that of the Jesus-like crucifixion -- at the very end is over-the-top ridiculous.… Expand

Well-wrought storytelling bogged down by wooden performances and an inflated sense of purpose.

What a marvelous film. More than I could have ever expected. This film is almost perfect from where I sat. The only weak link is the non professional player performing the part of the troubled male teen if only because he was such an important part of the story. Everyone else in the film is dead on perfect including the salty and inspiring screenplay. A MUST SEE and a special treat especially for older people.… Expand

I must admit I was hoping for a more believable movie. I thought a few times I was watching Carol O'connor and Archie Bunker. Clints character just wasn't believable with his over the top ethnic comments. Clint probably should have left the directing to someone else. An OK movie but could have been better.

Powerful. well acted. great story.

I found this movie to be quite good, so I don't see what you haters are complaining about. The acting is cheesey at times by the other actors but Eastwood is still awsome. It has its twists and turns and the only thing I really didn't like was Clint Eastwood singing during the end credits (good try though). I still say that any movie fan should give this one a shot.

For all the people trashing this film, you obviously can't see any of the moral of greater idea of this movie. It wasn't poorly written of directed, if you go looking for things to hate you'll find them. This was a great movie.

LOVED this movie! I think it's one of those movies that peoople will either love or hate - no in between. But I loved it! Clint Eastwood was classic.

Everything a movie should be and more.

Saw it last night with my wife (both of us Asian btw) & we thoroughly enjoyed it. Action, comedy, drama, etc... This movie had it all & Eastwood shined as a retired "Gunny Highway"-like with a touch of "Bill Munny" retired Ford employee. If you're wondering why I quoted the fact that we are both Asian, yet we STILL enjoyed it, WATCH THE MOVIE. Awesome flick... Eastwood is the F'n MAN!

Can just say wow? I would;ve given this an 8 or nine, but it ticks me off that people give these movies 3's and 0's when they really don't deserve a score that low

This was a really good story...you can see how this happens in the neighborhood, and each neighborhood has its own character,like clint, who do not like change. as for his family...this is so true, kids nowhere to be found, neighbors turning into family...i really liked this story, found it totally believable, could see it happening to immigrants...thank god clint stood up....WE NEED MORE CLINTS IN THIS WORLD.… Expand

The best movie I've seen in a long time. It was reality.

I thought this movie was fantastic. Last year, when the Dark Knight came out, everybody loved, except for me. I feel about this move the way everybody else felt about the Dark Knight last year. The only bad thing about this movie was the ending kind of upset me.

A nice film, nice to see Clint still acting rather than just directing.

Forget CBS's ill-conceived TV spinoff Archie Bunker's Place; this movie REALLY delivers the scoop on how Archie endured the loss of his beloved Edith. Grizzled, beyond-curmudgeonly, and emotionally haunted Korean War vet and retiree Walt (don't call him Wally) Kowalski (Clint Eastwood) deals with his very recent widowerhood by increasing his Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer intake and growling (literally) far more often than his dog Daisy does. With characteristic spareness, efficiency and (mostly) unsentimentality, Eastwood as actor and director shows us how the Asian family next door (and those all down the block) help Walt to...well, if not quite warm up, then at least thaw out. When Thao, a sweet but fatherless and directionless kid is pressured into trying to steal Walt's beloved 1970s title vehicle as part of a gang initiation, Walt gets more involved than he would have normally chosen, learns that Tsingtao may be a tastier brew than Pabst, finds a family that's thicker than the one he's related to by blood, and expands the meaning of the sports and business cliche "taking one for the team". While Walt isn't shy in his use of racial/ethnic slurs (his output rivals that of Norman Wexler's screenplays for Joe, Mandingo and Drum combined!) the guy's impossible to dislike...he's not that far removed from Dirty Harry Callahan, who informed his Hispanic partner that of all the minorities he hated, he ESPECIALLY despised "spics"...but said so with the slightest of winks, and later treated his partner and wife with exceptional kindness when Chico was seriously injured on duty. But then, it's entirely fitting that this hugely entertaining, satisfying tale of a recluse's re-entry into the human race should feature Eastwood's ostensibly final on-screen appearance; while the performance is at times as broad and self-parodistic as John Wayne's Oscar-winning turn as Rooster Cogburn, it also represents the final steps in Eastwood's highly conscious and deliberate re-invention of his movie persona. Pauline Kael (never a fan, or even close) commented in the 1970s that Eastwood's success proved that you didn't have to be a nice guy to be a screen hero, and his early stardom proves it: The Man With No Name in his Leone Westernswas so exclusively self-centered and mercenary that only in the last of them, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, did he perform his only unselfish act (offering a dying soldier a smoke); in Coogan's Bluff he pushed some poor guy off his motorcycle and stole it; in The Eiger Sanction he remorselessly engineered the deaths of several innocents; in High Plains Drifter he commits rape and near-rape (had roofies been available in the Old West, he would've slipped Verna Bloom one), and the list goes on. Moviegoers and critics trace the beginning of Eastwood's turnaround with 1992's Unforgiven, which seriously examines and questions the violence that Eastwood seemingly perpetuated and stood for in his earlier films, but it went back seven years earlier with Pale Rider, in which Eastwood played a homiletic, Shane-like preacher (!!) who TURNS DOWN two sexual invitations. In Gran Torino's third act, Eastwood's Walt both considers the wisdom (or lack of it) of unrestrained revenge (as opposed to legitimate self-defense) and embraces truly generous behavior, which reflects flatteringly on the star and director; there's something genuinely touching about the sincerity with which Eastwood has been trying in the last half of his career to reinvent the image he created in the first. Then, too, Gran Torino is the perfect film for this time in our political and cultural history: it's been aptly described as "the first Barack Obama movie", and it speaks well for our country's newly-found inclusiveness that it comes to us from a Republican.… Expand

Another finely crafted Eastwood movie full of meaning where no scene is wasted.

It's most definitely going to be one of the best movies of 2009. A very heartwarming movie.

Am I the only one who thought this movie was completely jokes? like seriously, it was just clint eastwood saying really racist shit all the time. there were scenes where he simply growled and otherrs where he just listed racist terms for asians. one scene in particular struck me as completely ridiculous, the one where the black guys are talking shit to the asian girl and the white dude, it has no importance to the storyline or advancement of the plot, he just needed to get every race in his rampage of racism.… Expand

fitting that the clueless hollywood crowd snubbed this masterpiece about self sacrifice, redemption, what it means to be an American, family, aging, respect, and living a meaningful and good life, and fixing things for eternity.

This movie was like visiting an old friend. Clint Eastwood was great; I wish he could get an Oscar. The Hmong characters were marvelous and moving. Although I guessed the ending before it came, it was the right ending and satisfying to the character development. If you ever loved any Eastwood movie you should go to this one.

Although the movie had it's flaws, it gave me a lot to think about. Imagine, a guy whom you think is a racist, really isn't (a guy whose actions speak louder than words). It speaks to the adversity and lack of freedom people face because of crime. This movie was charming, funny, suspenseful and smart all at the same time. No wonder Hollywood didn't give it any awards-- it had morality! It spoke of such un-Hollywood themes as the importance of toughness and learning to take care of yourself and others and how to think with your head and not your emotions. Would like to see this movie show in high schools with plenty of discussion time allowed.… Expand

Two words "Eastwood Delivers!". Put simply, they dont make superior movies like this anymore. All the bits about racism is a heap of crap. It is a part of the plot, a self-obstacle that the main character has to come to grips with. The whole point of the story is to show how the most hated character evolves into the hero! It shows how a man slowly overcomes his fears, and regrets instead of continually using them on others. This movie isn't about an old dog learning new tricks, its about an old dog trying to teach a newer generation an important lesson. This movie conserves a great deal of American values, that the current media and society have long since been trying to do away with. Id give it a higher ranking but 10 is all i have to work with. Clint eastwoods best by far.… Expand

Now that was just awesome.

Funniest movie of the year by far, and that's not to take away from the quality of it, all in all a great film, Eastwood is perfect, between him and Ledger, best performances of the year

Greatest movie ever made.

Highly disappointing. Slow and poorly written. Basically a sermon on "kids these days".

Seriously? A Best Picture contender. You're kidding, right? Really. A Best Actor nomination for Clint. Come on, for Gran Torino? Where he plays that Archie Bunker guy who growls more than Learch and puts the fear of God in every ethnic gang in Detroit by his mere old white man presence, that Gran Torino? Seriously Clint, it's time to put Dirty Harry to bed. Oscar? Only if they award one for Best Achievement In Cliche!… Expand

This movie has some actual substance to it unlike a lot of modern films. It is funny, and moving at the same time, so all I have to say to the reviewer from the Baltimore Sun is that u wouldnt know a good movie any more than you know ur ass from a hole in the ground.

Fantastic film, powerful and very moving. Incredible how it could have garnered no academy nominations. Just shows hows skewed the academy voting process is. This is one of the best films of the year.

I felt that this was a very powerful film. I was shocked that it was not nominated for best picture or even best actor. I hate the way that the Academy always misses the mark on films. I do not think that it would of won but it should of been nominated. I like the role that Eastwood played in the film. It was very well directed and the story was well told. All of the actors did a great job. I would recommend this to anyone.… Expand

Good movie. It is fantastic in every way as it will you a good mark on your life.