Gran Torino

We recently sat down with two of my boys (13,14) to watch this movie. In our current culture, I think this movie captures a very honest account of the complexity of man, personalities, and the way everyone wrestles with their own demons. I think the raw portrayal of Walt as a Korean War Veteran struggling with the realities of combat, his failing relationships with his kids, and the recent death of his wife offer the audience a glimpse of the true depth of a man. Walt is a tough, strong man with rough edges; but his complete and forward honesty leaves no one guessing exactly how he feels. We might wince at the way he throws around racial slurs, but he is proven to be a good man. Walt exposes the man he is behind the curtain with his courageous and sacrificial actions at the end of the movie. He stands as a role model to the impressionable Tau (his next door neighbor) and a generous father figure to both Tau and his confident sister. Tau’s sister is very similar to Walt in that she isn’t afraid to say how she feels. She is the one who lifts Walt out of his misery at first, and gives Walt a renewed sense of purpose. As soon as he sees Tau help a neighbor, his guard comes down and he realizes how he can help this young man. Walt’s ability to control his emotions and be the steady in very tense situations is what masculinity is. He doesn’t back down only uses force when necessary- and only for the good of others. Walt develops a sense of respect for his Hmong neighbors and their culture- perhaps by first forgiving himself for things he did as a soldier. One of my favorite things about this movie is the way Walt wrestles with his faith. The young priest’s relationship with Walt parallels what I believe to be Christ’s pursuit of us. Unwavering and even reckless at times. Walt’s salvation is a sticking point between the two in which Walt ultimately surrenders. This movie is an example of two people, worlds apart, finding the good in each other. How we should never write people off for what they look like, what they say, or because they think differently. Everyone is wrestling with something and we never know what it is. Perhaps that alone should allow us to be tolerant of all whom we come in contact with. Even the crotchetiest of old men, or our foreign neighbors we feel like we could never relate to might be exactly who we need in our lives; and offer us something we least expect. If this movie doesn’t touch you, you have a heart of stone. We used the language in this movie as a lesson to our boys. We talked about salvation and sacrifice; our own personal comfort and other cultures. If you are willing to talk about the language, I think this movie is fine for highschool age kids but ultimately I would reserve it for any mature teenager.