Some Hollywood stars refuse to age gracefully. Consistently living in their glorious pasts they gradually go a bit senile and we end up with semi-ironic money spinners like Rambo, Rocky Balboa and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull that just humiliate their geriatric stars and undermine the cherished childhood memories of thousands of innocent people. So it was refreshing to see Clint Eastwood, at the ripe old age of 78, playing a crotchety old racist who doesn't want to change.

Gran Torino tells the story of Walt Kowalski. A Vietnam veteran who lives in an area now largely vacated by the white middle classes, now primarily made up of Asian families the area is alien to him - but he will not move. After the death of his wife Kowalski becomes even more bitter and lonely, until one day the attempted theft of his beloved Gran Torino by the kid next door drags him into a whole new world.

The early part of the film is carried entirely by Eastwood's hilarious turn as the miserable old man. His casual racism towards everyone in his vicinity is delivered with such ease that it cannot fail to entertain. Every throwaway insult becomes a piece of comic genius and, best of all, the audience is allowed to be amused by it because everyone on screen in. Kowalski is just a harmless old relic, doing the best he can in the situation he has found himself in.

Of course it wouldn't be a Clint Eastwood film if there wasn't a sudden change of gear just after the halfway mark. Once he becomes involved with the Asian family next door we begin our journey toward the common understanding that you know is coming. But far from being a humdrum plot that is just going through the motions, Gran Torino layers itself with a wonderfully questioning set of themes which prevents it from ever seeming bland or preachy. Grisly old Kowalski is not just a negative stereotype from the past who is set to come to terms with the new world, rather he is a whole other belief system whose merits and flaws receive a rigorous going over.

Even better than this rigorous approach to American morals is that the plot never stops being engaging. The characters are well-rounded and easy to identify with, their situations are both believable and interesting, and each part is performed with sufficient gusto to carry the weight of the story they're given.

The best part, though, is the conclusion. Despite registering a little to high on the preach-o-meter it is an ending that really packed a punch. Completely unexpected and very clever, it is Eastwood responding to the character that he has played in so many films. The conclusion of Gran Torino is effectively the conclusion of an illustrious career of gun-toting badasses. And I can conclusively say that it trounces the boring revamps that other stars keep attempting, in fact I'd gladly go one step further and say that it puts them to shame. Good on you Clint!

Starring: Clint Eastwood, Christopher Carley, Bee Vang, Ahney Her
Directed by: Clint Eastwood
Rating: UK 15 | US R
Release date: Out now

Rating: 3 stars

Review by Michael Edwards