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'Gran Torino' is Vintage Viewing

There is something familiar about " Gran Turino ." Actually, a few things.

First off, director and star Clint Eastwood sounds like Batman, spewing forth second-hand smoke from the depths of his chest every time he speaks. The movie itself looks like a bizarre version of "Karate Kid" – this time with an elderly white dude schooling a neighboring Asian protégé in the art of household chores. And the racist rant thesaurus was surely borrowed "American History X."



But there is something else, too.

"Gran Torino" is really a Western … with some eastern fusion. (By the way, what's up with Eastwood's late-blooming Asian fetish?). Eastwood's Walt Kowalski, a racist and grizzled Korean war vet struggling to make peace with himself, has a handsome steed in his shiny classic car. He's a cowboy with a walk-in closet full of skeletons in his past, a lonely life thanks to his hatred of the Asian influx into his neighborhood, and finally, he even has a climatic duel with a gang of baddies. All that's missing are the spurs and the "Wanted" poster.



"Gran Torino" is really an old school Western dressed up as a tale of redemption in modern day Detroit. And that's a good thing. Unfortunately the trailer for "Gran Torino," which had got surprising play for a relatively small movie, stalls out. 

In addition to spilling the beans about the entire plot (almost), it makes the flick look like a heavy-handed, wear-its-metaphors on its sleeves type of movie. It's not. Walt's journey from silently grieving husband to a reluctant neighbor thrust into a violent conflict with a people he's always hated is filled with unexpected nuance and subtlety.



Even the pacing is smooth, too. Walt isn't just calling his neighbors "zipperheads" one day and hugging them the next. It takes some time for him to warm up to Thao ( Bee Vang ), the lost adolescent neighbor in the crosshairs of his cousin's gang. And even after Walt takes the quiet weirdo under his wilted wing, he still hits him up with the occasional racial blast. This development is owed in part to coaching from a local priest ( Christopher Carley ) and Thao's wise and cheeky sister ( Sue Lor ).



"Gran Torino" is simply another solid effort from Clint in a long line of them. Eastwood is as much of a sure thing as there is in Hollywood these days. And one more thing: Eastwood is funny this time around. Sure, the crumedgeon isn't taking bouncy balls to the crotch like some slapstick hack or dressing up as a dozen fat relatives at the dinner table like Eddie Murphy, but he made me laugh as he was popping off ethnic barbs with amazing comedic timing. And of course, maybe I cried later on. Maybe.



You already know the ending is a tear-jerker. How can it not be? Don't blame me; blame the stupid trailer. 



"Gran Torino," checking in at 116 min. and rated R, is now playing in Richmond and select cities. Mike gives "Gran Torino" three out of four stars.



Mike Ward is a Richmond-based writer and editor. Check him out at www.underdogcopy.com .