Sitting on the porch drinking beer, Walt Kowalski is seen taking care of a most prized possession, a 1972 Ford Gran Torino. This scene sets the stage for a series of events that begin to gradually chip away at an old man’s hard exterior. Throughout this film Walt, a Korean War Veteran and former retired Ford Motor employee, explores the themes of loss, coming to terms, friendship, and ultimately sacrifice and redemption. Set in a Detroit neighborhood, Kowalski has watched his neighborhood change, be replaced by immigrants, and an assortment of other ethnic groups he despises. Walt is a foul mouthed bigoted man, who is often heard muttering or snarling some type of racial epithet. Gran Torino is not light in nature or magnitude. It is a film about one man’s resistance to cultural change, and his ultimate surrender to religious transformation. Gran Torino’s first scene begins with Walt Kowalski just having buried his wife Dorothy. Revealing through this to its audience is the mutual disappointment and intolerances felt by both Walt, and his family towards each other. With his wife recently deceased, and his two sons’ discomfort around their father, Walt is left sitting on the porch drinking beer after cheap beer in the company of his longtime companion Daisy, his yellow Labrador. Walt watches the world around him with a scowl on his face, leaving his audience left to wonder if he too would like to join Dorothy.
Walt’s inevitable involvement with the Hmong neighbors begins while Walt is at the tavern. Keeping the world at bay is what Walt likes to do best; however, that’s not what the world is going to let happen. First, there’s the bothersome priest who pays a visit to Walt’s home fulfilling a promise to Walt’s late wife Dorothy. Dorothy’s dying wish was that Walt would go to confession and make peace with God. While speaking to Father Jake Walt asserts, “Well I confess that I never really cared for church very much. The only reason I went was because of her [Dorothy], and I confess, that I have no desire to confess to a boy that’s just out of the seminary” (Gran Torino). Walt sends the Priest away, telling the priest to tend to some other sheep.
Returning to the comforts of his front porch, the world first creeps into Walt’s peripheral vision where a family of Hmong immigrants lives in the rundown house next door. Despite Walt’s best efforts to be left alone, and through a series of unfortunate events, unbeknownst to Walt the Hmong gang is plotting for Thao, Walt’s young neighbor, in a plot to steal Walt’s 1972, mint, Gran Torino.
Walt was once again interrupted with a visit from the insistent Priest at the local tavern. However, this time Walt asks Father Jake to sit and have a drink. This is the defining moment in the film when Walt begins to reveal to Father Jake intimate details of his life, and morbid details about the war. Walt, who is full of self assurance, can’t imagine that a priest as young as this could possibly help. Walt presumes to know more about life and death than this rookie priest. Although the climax is heavier and more sobering than expected, the Priests’ participation is quietly foreshadowed by the coming events.
The Hmong gang is unscathed by the events that up until now have riddled this story with racism, bigotry, guns and bullets. The gang makes its last attempt to force Thao into their world. A fight on the Thao’s lawn sends Walt blazing out of his house in a verbal tirade exclaiming, “I used to stack fucks like you five feet high in Korea, using you for sandbags”(Gran Torino). Walt was armed and told the gangbangers to leave in an effort to save the neighbors that he’s been watching under a microscope for so long.
Walt’s relationship with Thao and Sue’s family begins to unfold. The Neighbors leave gifts of food and other offerings on Walt’s porch. Father Jake came to Walt’s home as well. Father Jake was there to inquire why the police were not called after the altercation. Another more poignant moment in the film is when Walt finds Sue being harassed, by a different group of gangbangers. Walt steps in; only this time Walt uses a pistol to protect Sue. In a strange twist of events, an invitation on Walt’s birthday from Sue leads to Walt being embraced by the Hmong family. In fact Walt, while looking in the bathroom mirror admits that, “I have more in common with these gooks than I do with my own spoiled, rotten family” (Gran Torino). A once bigoted man, Walt embraces Thao, Sue and the Hmong family. Walt assumes the role of protector, gradually teaching Thao how to fix things, how to be a man, and helping find Thao a job. Walt wants Thao and Sue to have a chance at life.
In an unexpected turn of events the Hmong house is riddled with bullets; and Sue is taken by gang members and raped. Walt realizes the likelihood of survival for Thao and Sue is critical. Upon receiving a grim diagnosis from medical tests, Walt recognizes that the quality of their lives will rapidly deteriorate for both Walt, and the Hmong family. In connection, Father Jake recognizes that trouble is about to ensue as well and once again shows up on Walt’s doorstep. Father Jake urges Walt to let the authorities handle the forthcoming situation, knowing that Walt will be plotting revenge. Understanding Walt’s new found friendship with the Hmong family, Father Jake is conscious of the fact that Walt is not the type of man to let a horrific act like this go without consequence. Walt is out for retribution, salvation and peace. Quietly and deliberately, every detail of Walt’s final act of retaliation is planned to perfection. Walt unassumingly buys himself a new suit, gets a haircut, drops Daisy off at Thao’s home, and finally goes to see Father Jake for a final confession being relieved of any burdens. Walt confronted the gangbangers and Walt’s death was that of an avenging angel. The Hmong gang was arrested on the spot. The strategy was to sacrifice Walt’s life so that there would be no question of guilt. At the reading of the will, revenge was succeeded with the final twist of fate. Walt’s prized possession, the Gran Torino, was given to Thao. The ending is dramatic, dark and suspenseful. It’s hard to summon up a definitive statement to describe the feelings that the film Gran Torino evokes; but there is a piece of dialogue in the movie that mentions the word “Bittersweet”. Walt asserts, “Death is bittersweet. It’s bitter in its pain, but it’s sweet in its salvation” (Gran Torino). Gran Torino, an unassuming film, is a story of one man’s reluctance to cultural change and unwavering resistance to religious transformation providing a bittersweet understanding for its audiences.
