Fridae

Actor, director, cultural icon. For a time, Clint Eastwood was one of the rare men in Hollywood who seemed to be only getting better with age. As a director, he churned out one gem after another - Unforgiven (1993), The Bridges of Madison County (1995), Mystic River (2003), Million Dollar Baby (2004), Letters from Iwo Jima (2005). Indeed, no other actor-director could match his reputation.

However, his latest directorial effort represents something of a misstep. Gran Torino, which he directs and stars in, is about a cranky retiree (Clint) who does not like the changes taking place in his neighborhood. Once a white enclave, the neighborhood is being taken over by Hmong immigrants (refugees from Southeast Asia).

So when a fatherless Asian boy (Bee Vang) tries to steal Clint's car, a Ford Gran Torino, Clint is quick to deal with him. Clint soon finds out that the boy is being pressured to commit the crime by a local Hmong gang terrorizing the neighborhood. Unexpectedly, Clint becomes a father figure to the boy and a protector of the neighborhood.

Unfortunately, Clint's good intentions only make things worse for the boy and his family�

On one level, Gran Torino seems to be metaphor of American military involvement in Asian countries like Vietnam and Cambodia , which has worsened the bloodshed and violence. The script written by Nick Schenk is intelligent. But Clint's direction is uneven and boders sloppiness. Gran Torino dwells too much in its melodramatic gestures, making parts of the film too soppy to be taken seriously.