Comments on: Gran Torino

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 21:08:51 +0000

Hey ddubbs – Detroit is not on Lake Michigan, it’s Lake St. Claire (the same lake that is in the map hung in his character’s basement stairwell), and that scene is actually Lakeshore Drive in Grosse Pointe.

By: ddubbs

ddubbs — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 17:17:59 +0000

And of course, the famous Eastwood squint and grunt/growl was in full force in this one. Maybe a bit overplayed, but funny anyway. I laughed a lot at this one and did not feel the least bit guilty, it was intended that way.

Clint Eastwood has to be the best tough guy actor ever, bar none.

By: ddubbs

ddubbs — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 17:12:52 +0000

Just saw this last night. It was obvious it was supposed to be in Michigan, as they alluded to Eastwood working 50 years for Ford, the 6-month long winters and especially the last scene which is shot on the shore of Lake Michigan. Not sure exactly where in Michigan this was supposed to be, but it doesn’t really matter.

Very good flick, funny and a more/less unpredictable ending with a nice twist. I really liked the Hmong actors, and the main boy (Toad/Tao) was actually in my daughter’s English class last year at the U of M. Politically incorrect? That was the whole point of Eastwood’s character, as well as the barber. And don’t tell me the grandma was not a racist, she was pretty funny too. Nice humor throughout.

By: jane

jane — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 22:21:08 +0000

Good one, Rat!

By: Rat

Rat — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 22:19:06 +0000

They were probably saying: “Eastwood smells like a dog today.”

“Hey all you Hmong viewers! We’re not getting paid enough.”

By: jane

jane — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 22:11:24 +0000

Oh… sorry about that mnblrmkr.

Baker, I’m pretty sure there were some Hmong-speakers in my audience, b/c some people really cracked up a couple times at things said in Hmong.

And yet, it is not a comedy.

By: mnblrmkr

mnblrmkr — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 21:56:09 +0000

...won't be surprised if it wins some award.

Kind of hoping it doesn't. The more awards it wins, the longer the DVD release will be delayed, and the longer I'll have to wait to b e able to see it.

By: mnblrmkr

mnblrmkr — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 21:38:45 +0000

*sigh*

By: baker

baker — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 21:33:34 +0000

I was in the St. Louis Park theatre, filled with primarily middle aged white folks. It was almost an outburst of laughter at every little quip. I imagine if I had watched this movie in an inner city theatre it might have been much more ‘quiet’

But, there were some creative ones, that is for sure!

By: jane

jane — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 16:00:10 +0000

Baker, I saw it too. I think I know whta you “guiltily” laughed at, and I laughed at that too–almost every time! I don’t think I feel guilty though, I think it was supposed to be funny, or at the VERY least, make us laugh nervously.

Really liked this movie and won’t be surprised if it wins some award.