"Gran Torino" is Classic Clint Eastwood

I hope to go see it -again-...

That's the biggest compliment I can pay about a movie.

I'm saying it about "Gran Torino," starring Clint Eastwood. My wife and I saw it this past Sunday at Spartan 16 in Spartanburg.

I'd like to share a few things about the movie... and the crowd.

First, the movie.

I've been a Clint Eastwood fan since watching him on the TV western series "Rawhide" when I was kid. Many of you with a little gray in your hair will remember that show. The theme song went "don't try to understand 'em, just rope, throw and brand 'em (for all you city-slickers, that's referring to cattle drives)."

Eastwood has churned out some great movies as an actor and director. His directing credits include "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" and "Flags of Our Fathers."

In "Million Dollar Baby," he was great as an actor and director.

Now he's back on the screen portraying a character who's much like an old Dirty Harry (Eastwood is now 78). I knew this movie was for me when I saw the scene in the "Gran Torino" trailer where Eastwood's character points a military rifle at a gang thug, grits his teeth and growls, "Get off my lawn!"

Eastwood plays Walt Kowalski, a decorated Korean War veteran who carries a haunting battlefield memory. Kowalski's wife has just died. He barely knows (and can barely stand) his two sons and their families. His Detroit neighborhood is home to a large population of immigrants, including Hmong. When a teenage Hmong neighbor tries to steal Walt's prized 1972 Gran Torino as part of a gang initiation, Walt takes the boy under his wing and tries to teach him to be a man. You can take the story from there.

Caution: this is not a "family" movie. Walt uses just about every racial epithet in the book, so in that sense, this story is not for the easily-offended, and it is definitely not for small children.

The movie has no sex, almost no special effects... just great acting. Classic Eastwood.

Now, some comments about the crowd.

As my wife and I drove into the theatre parking lot, I noticed a number of older people heading for the ticket booth. I told my wife, "They're going to see 'Gran Torino.'"

Later I saw those same people sitting around me inside the theatre.

I seldom go to movies anymore because the crowds are often poorly behaved: talking on cell phones, feet propped on my chair, constant coming and going during the movie... you know the drill. I'd go to movies more often if I could get a box seat where no one's rudeness disturbed me.

But at "Gran Torino," I knew the older crowd would be respectful and courteous to those around them, and I was right. The folks had only come to see Eastwood kick some bad-guy butt like he used to. The only time they made noise was when they cheered with approval as Kowalski handed out heaps of insults to just about everyone he came across, even his priest.

The movie has a surprise ending that is both happy and sad. See it for yourself.

The ending also features a song Eastwood helped compose, and he sings part of the song.

My wife and I stayed until the credits ran out. We were the next to last people to leave the theatre.

We enjoyed "Gran Torino" that much.

I wish all movies could be that good.