| Gran Torino [DVD] [2008] | ![Gran Torino [DVD] [2008]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41AjTwfK8OL._SL160_.jpg) | Director: Clint Eastwood
Actors: Clint Eastwood, Christopher Carley
Studio: Warner Home Video
Category: DVD
List Price: £19.99
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Rating:  114 reviews
Format: Anamorphic, PAL
Languages: English (Audio Description), English (Original Language), English (Subtitles For The Hearing Impaired), Italian (Subtitles For The Hearing Impaired), English (Unknown), English (Subtitled), Arabic (Subtitled), Dutch (Subtitled), Hebrew (Subtitled), Icelandic (Subtitled), Italian (Subtitled), Italian (Dubbed)
Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Region: 2
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 112 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.4 x 5.4 x 0.6
EAN: 5051892004299
ASIN: B001O9C4RI
Theatrical Release Date: 2008
Release Date: June 29, 2009
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 At least one guy in hollywood is making real movies May 13, 2009
John Edward Colman (UK)
70 out of 76 found this review helpful
What can I say? If I try to describe this film to someone it sounds terrifically dull - but it's wonderful.
Okay, I'm an old softie: I loved "Bridges of Madison" and "Million Dollar Baby" and this is of the same high quality.
Clint takes the time to develop the characters. Why don't other film-makers bother to do that? The film is great because you actually care about the characters - even the ones who hardly speak. They feel fully fleshed out and have real personalities. At times the performances are so spontaneous that they feel improvised.
It doesn't really matter what this film's name is or what the plot is about. This is a "people" film about real life (not mine thankfully) and just when you start to think it might be turning into Dirty Harry, it turns into something else - something which everything about the Clint Eastwood character has been setting up throughout the film.
Five stars. Thank you Mr. Eastwood.
It's not about the car... December 28, 2008
L. Power (San Francisco)
160 out of 182 found this review helpful
Throughout his illustrious acting career, Clint Eastwood has delivered a series of iconic characters, such as The Man with no name, Dirty Harry, Josie Wales, and Will Munny in Unforgiven.
Throughout his illustrious directing career he has delivered outstanding movies such as Unforgiven, Mystic River, and Million Dollar Baby, for which he has won five Academy Awards, for Best Picture, Best Director, and including the Irving Thalberg Life Achievement Award.
The actors who have worked with him have been blessed with Oscar: Gene Hackman for Unforgiven, Tim Robbins and Sean Penn for Mystic River, Morgan Freeman and Hilary Swank for Million Dollar Baby.
In Gran Torino he both directs and acts, and delivers an acting performance that will be remembered long after the final credits roll, in its unique way, as memorable as any other character he has created.
Gran Torino is the second best movie I have seen this year. Not just for the acting, not just for the directing, but for the storytelling, and the emotional journey on which it takes you, the laughter, the feeling of being gripped, and its more surprising moments.
In the opening scenes, we have the exposition of the character. We get to know Walt Kowalski, by how people act around him, and his seemingly hateful attitude towards people. More is conveyed through a scowl, and a snarl than with words. When the mischievous grandchildren go through his stuff in the basement, we see the photographs and the Silver Star he won in Korea. There are three other important symbols in the movie, the lighter, the gun, and the car.
We see a hero with a warrior past, a patriot who fought for a cause greater than himself. Clearly, his bigotry stems from those experiences.
He's not just mean, he's 'get of my lawn' mean. He's Dirty Harry 'Go ahead punk, make my day!,' mean.
His dead wife's priest bugs him to hear his confession, at her request. The priest in a way is his wife's conscience. So begins the theme of redemption.
When he snarls down the barrel of his rifle, at the neighborhood punk: 'I could blow your head off, and sleep like a baby,' you get the sense that he means it.
So, with all that happens, we see the change in his decision making, from someone reluctant to be involved in his neighbor's affairs, and a story can turn on something as random as looking at an empty beer cooler.
For all his faults, Walt has mature masculine character. Even though he is a difficult father, he has taught his children character. So, when he sees the boy next door lacks character, and a strong male role model, he takes him under his wing, and teaches him how to be a man.
The scenes where the boy practises Walt's high octane ball busting banter, are the funniest in the movie. Through knowing Walt, he makes decisions he never would have made by himself. In so doing, Walt finds meaning and purpose, and a chance for redemption, and the boy becomes a man.
The Academy's actor awards tend to go to actors in two types of role:
1. Psychopath- No Country for Old Men, The Usual Suspects, There Will Be Blood, Training Day, Silence of the Lambs.
2. Mentally Disabled, Social or Physical Handicap, overcomes great adversity or discrimination- Shine, As Good as It Gets, A Beautiful Mind, Ray, Scent of a Woman, Capote, Philadelphia, The Pianist, A Beautiful Life.
Every rule has an exception. Russell Crowe in Gladiator played a character with thematic similarities to Walt.
For a 78 year old man to direct and be lead actor in a movie of this caliber is an achievement worthy at the very least of being nominated for the highest award for Acting, Directing or both.
I hope this was helpful.
amazing February 2, 2010
Matthew Edmondson (Essex, England)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
I can't understand why this movie has generated several '1 stars' and bad comments. This truly is an incredible piece of film making and i can honestly say this is my favourite ever film. Great characters, excellent heart warming story and actually very funny in places. Definately recommended to anyone who enjoys movies :-)
Fantastic film August 31, 2009
S. Hostick (East Yorkshire, UK)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
An elderly man (Walt Kowalski), having just lost his wife, unintentionally finds friendship with his Hmong neighbours when he inadvertently saves the teenage boy nextdoor from an altercation with his cousin's gang. Walt then finds himself stepping in on a few occasions where either the boy or his sister get into bother.
This is a brilliant story about a man who finds he has more in common with the immigrant family around him than his own family and feels compelled to help them.
By far the best film I've seen in a long time and definitely recommended.
Swansong For Eastwood? June 28, 2009
Ms. J. F. Gilby (bexhill, uk)
28 out of 32 found this review helpful
Is this the final film for Clint Eastwood to star in? I don't know but if it is, it's a excellent swansong for him as this movie is brilliant from the first few minutes to the final breathtaking seconds. Eastwood plays Walt, a man who's lost his wife and is now a bit of a grumpy man. His grandsons hardly want to know him, their own family are evil and only want things when he's dead too. When a family of Hauong people arrive, he sickened by the thought of living with strangers. But when one of them tries to steal his Gran Torino, he soon bonds with the family and becomes a part to them though there is danger from nasty gangs wanting the young boy to be in their group. It's gripping stuff with some laugh-out loud moments along with touching scenes from the cast lead by Eastwood, this is his best pefomance ever without doubt. I highly recommend this to anyone who loved his movies or wanting to see a great movie for near two hours.
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