subject: Now Playing On Directv Pay Per View Gran Torino My Review [print this page] I will say that Gran Torino is easily one of the most overhyped movies I've ever seen (and I watch alot of movies). Firstly, I am not a Clint Eastwood fan, but after hearing all the critical praise and the fact that it was making lucrative bucks at the box-office, I was at least expecting something entertaining. Needless to say, after catching this, I am even less of a Clint Eastwood fan than I was before.
The story basically concentrates on the relationship that develops between crotchety, recently-widowed Walt Kowalski and his shy young neighbor Tao after Tao attempts to steal Walt's prized 1972 Gran Torino. The film was supposed to inspire some feelings of emotion and connection from the audience, but I just found myself laughing at how atrocious the acting was. I was left wondering how acting this terrible could have been allowed in a movie of this caliber. I suppose Mr. Eastwood was fine in his role (though it didn't require much beyond squinting and grunting), but the supporting cast was simply not up to par for a mainstream film like this. I believe the fault lies with producer/director Eastwood, who insisted on casting traditional Hmong people in the supporting roles, most of whom were first-time actors. Their infancy showed - sometimes painfully. The worst offender was Bee Vang as Tao. He should be the emotional center of the film, as it is his relationship with Walt that is the central focus of the drama, but the actor seems to buckle under the weight of this important role. During the peak of one particularly "dramatic" scene, I had to hold back laughs at the acting on display. I'm sure Bee Vang is a perfectly nice guy, but he simply should not have been cast in a role this central to the story. There is also less than stellar acting from the supporting cast (there are a handful that are as equally embarassing as Vang), however, the shortcomings with the smaller roles are more forgivable. The dialogue is also nothing special, as writer Nick Schneck felt the need to have characters spout exposition and voice their motives instead of letting the acting speak for itself. With better actors and a polished script, the problems I had with the movie could have been remedied.
Maybe I missed the message, but Gran Torino could have been better, and by all means it should have been better. Many people were dissapointed when the Academy did not nominate Torino for any awards, however, I feel they made the right decision. The idea was in place to make a great movie, but it was delflated by amateur acting and a paint-by-numbers script.
Gran Torino is currently playing on Satellite TV Pay-Per-View.
By: Frank Bilottaby: Frank Bilotta
welcome to Insurances.net (https://www.insurances.net)
