Today after a morning trip to Donut Country, our son and I went to Medford's Tinseltown to see Clint Eastwood who stars and directs in "Grand Torino." Some have said this may be the last movie Clint Eastwood stars in and if that is the case I see a lot of parallels with John Wayne's last movie, "The Shootist." Both are fine, fine, movies about old men who have lived independent lives on their own terms.The following synopsis is from The Internet Movie Data Base:
Clint Eastwood stars as Walt Kowalski, a widower who holds onto his prejudices despite the changes in his Michigan neighborhood and the world around him. Kowalski is a grumpy, tough-minded, unhappy an old man, who can't get along with either his kids or his neighbors, a Korean War veteran whose prize possession is a 1972 Gran Torino he keeps in mint condition. When his neighbor Tao, a young Hmong teenager under pressure from his gang member cousin, tries to steal his Gran Torino, Kowalski sets out to reform the youth. Drawn against his will into the life of Tao's family, Kowalski is soon taking steps to protect them from the gangs that infest their neighborhood. (Written by alfiehitchie)
UPDATED:
In both movies the world is changing and in some cases not for the better. In both movies the older star is called upon to "straiten out" a young boy who is being raised by a single mother. In "The Shootest" it was Lauren Becall who was raising a young Ron Howard. John Wayne had to teach him to have respect for his elders and how to shoot a gun. Clint Eastwood in "Grand Torino" has to teach a young Hmong teenager how to work and become a productive member of society. Clint Eastwood is perfect in the part and gives a great performance. I will get the movie when it comes out on DVD. Eastwood should get an Academy Award for Best Actor but he won't..... If this is his last movie as an actor it is a great way to end a career full of good and great movies.
(For more information about the movie click on the title for a link to IMDB.com)
