Critic Reviews
Gran Torino (2009) Rank 2 Reviews
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based on (183) reviews
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Digital Spy (Stella Papamichael)
If Eastwood and newbie writer Nick Schenck hadn't lost their nerve and fallen back on Hollywood convention at the last moment, the story might have hit home with greater force. ...read the complete Gran Torino movie review at Digital Spy (Stella Papamichael)
Guardian [UK] (Peter Bradshaw)
This is still an enjoyably big, brash, macho melodrama, saved from absurdity by Eastwood's cracking performance. ...read the complete Gran Torino movie review at Guardian [UK] (Peter Bradshaw)
Window to the Movies (Jeffrey Chen)
Tricky territory, but surprisingly the whole thing comes off as disarming. ...read the complete Gran Torino movie review at Window to the Movies (Jeffrey Chen)
Sacramento News & Review (Jonathan Kiefer)
To be the perfectly career-summarizing Eastwood movie, Gran Torino needn’t be perfect. ...read the complete Gran Torino movie review at Sacramento News & Review (Jonathan Kiefer)
Sunday Times (UK) (Cosmo Landesman)
Seeing the new inclusive Clint shows an old dog can learn new tricks. But like Walt himself, I can’t help but prefer Dirty Harry to Caring Clint any day. ...read the complete Gran Torino movie review at Sunday Times (UK) (Cosmo Landesman)
Total Film (Jonathan Crocker)
It’s a movie for Eastwood fans. Which should mean it’s a movie for you. ...read the complete Gran Torino movie review at Total Film (Jonathan Crocker)
Independent (Anthony Quinn)
In a way it's quite touching that Eastwood still believes a man is never too old to change. One only wishes that Gran Torino were a little more subtle and a little less earnest in its operations. ...read the complete Gran Torino movie review at Independent (Anthony Quinn)
Times [UK] (James Christopher)
What the film aches for is a challenge worthy of the monster Eastwood effortlessly inhabits. ...read the complete Gran Torino movie review at Times [UK] (James Christopher)
The New York Times
Twice in the last decade, just as the holiday movie season has begun to sag under the weight of its own bloat, full of noise and nonsense signifying nothing, Clint Eastwood has slipped another film into theaters and shown everyone how it's done. ...read the complete Gran Torino movie review at The New York Times
Detroit News
Walt Kowalski is pretty much done. His wife has just passed away; his sons are suburban strangers; his grandkids are spoiled brats. ...read the complete Gran Torino movie review at Detroit News
Philadelphia Daily News
"Gran Torino" has moved many critics to say it's the best Clint Eastwood performance they've seen.
If that's the case, then I think they may have missed a lot of Eastwood movies, including a few that featured an orangutan. ...read the complete Gran Torino movie review at Philadelphia Daily News
I.E. Weekly (Amy Nicholson)
There are only two things to compliment about Gran Torino: It's not as dull as The Changeling and it's a great thesaurus for racists looking to expand their anti-Asian vocabulary past "gook. ...read the complete Gran Torino movie review at I.E. Weekly (Amy Nicholson)
New York Magazine
To think Gran Torino is a masterpiece, you have to accept the contrived setups and sledgehammer melodrama. ...read the complete Gran Torino movie review at New York Magazine
Arizona Daily Star (Phil Villarreal)
The new film, about a bigoted widower who's all but given up on the modern world, is a sterling back-to-basics, intimate character study. ...read the complete Gran Torino movie review at Arizona Daily Star (Phil Villarreal)
Sydney Morning Herald (Sandra Hall)
With his shamelessly overblown ending, Eastwood reveals a taste for something he's never served up before -- corn. ...read the complete Gran Torino movie review at Sydney Morning Herald (Sandra Hall)
Globe and Mail (Liam Lacey)
By the time it jolts to an ending, followed by Clint rasping a tune to the closing credits, you're more likely to be rolling your eyes than dabbing them. ...read the complete Gran Torino movie review at Globe and Mail (Liam Lacey)
The Globe and Mail
By the time it jolts to an ending, followed by Clint rasping a tune to the closing credits, you're more likely to be rolling your eyes than dabbing them. ...read the complete Gran Torino movie review at The Globe and Mail
Charlotte Observer (Lawrence Toppman)
Alas, the preposterous ending fritters away much of the goodwill the film has slowly gained. ...read the complete Gran Torino movie review at Charlotte Observer (Lawrence Toppman)
Cinema Writer (Jay Antani)
Gran Torino is a smorgasbord of Eastwood's skills as filmmaker -- the good, the bad, and the ugly -- and how you well you digest it will depend on your appetite. ...read the complete Gran Torino movie review at Cinema Writer (Jay Antani)
FilmsInReview.com (Victoria Alexander)
Clint Eastwood, who stars and directed "Gran Torino", looks much more realistic as an old man than he does in real life. ...read the complete Gran Torino movie review at FilmsInReview.com (Victoria Alexander)
Creative Loafing
Clint Eastwood steps back, no make that bangs back in front of the camera for one hell of a role. Eastwood stars as Walt Kowalski in "Gran Torino", who is a recent widower that seems angry at the World. ...read the complete Gran Torino movie review at Creative Loafing
CompuServe (Harvey Karten)
Everything about the film is predictable. We can almost pinpoint the exact time that comedy would give way to melodrama. ...read the complete Gran Torino movie review at CompuServe (Harvey Karten)
Time Out New York
Meanwhile, no summation work can improve on Unforgiven; maybe Eastwood can now go back to impressing us. ...read the complete Gran Torino movie review at Time Out New York
Chicago Tribune (Michael Phillips)
If Clint Eastwood wins his first Academy Award for acting come February, besting Sean Penn for "Milk" and Mickey Rourke for "The Wrestler" among other probable nominees, it'll be like 1971 all over again, the year Helen Hayes snagged a supporting actress ...read the complete Gran Torino movie review at Chicago Tribune (Michael Phillips)
Groucho Reviews
Ham-handed...makes Afterschool Specials look like Ibsen. ...read the complete Gran Torino movie review at Groucho Reviews
Compuserve (Harvey S. Karten)
Eastwood's character acts as mentor to a vulnerable youth just as he did in 'Million Dollar Baby,' but this vehicle is filled with silly, old-fashioned dialogue. ...read the complete Gran Torino movie review at Compuserve (Harvey S. Karten)
Spectrum (St. George, Utah) (Bruce Bennett)
The uninspired screenplay and all too obvious cast of novices make the film feel more like charity work on the part of its engaging director and star. ...read the complete Gran Torino movie review at Spectrum (St. George, Utah) (Bruce Bennett)
About.com Hollywood Movies (Rebecca Murray)
An okay film that has a few moments of brilliance but for the most part is a mediocre drama. ...read the complete Gran Torino movie review at About.com Hollywood Movies (Rebecca Murray)
Movie Retriever (Brian Tallerico)
Maybe I'm overreacting because of the praise and awards surrounding Eastwood's work. He's certainly not bad in the film and there's nothing "wrong" with doing a career commentary at his age. ...read the complete Gran Torino movie review at Movie Retriever (Brian Tallerico)
Baltimore Sun (Michael Sragow)
Gran Torino is far, far from Eastwood's best. But he gets to leave his die-hard fans clapping and crying. For the rest of us, it's so thoroughly mediocre it operates like a potent soporific. ...read the complete Gran Torino movie review at Baltimore Sun (Michael Sragow)
Palo Alto Weekly (Jeanne Aufmuth)
Climax is an overindulgent grasp at something meaningful that misses by a country mile. ...read the complete Gran Torino movie review at Palo Alto Weekly (Jeanne Aufmuth)
Michael Dequina, Mr. Brown's Movie Site
For a while, it looks like Clint Eastwood has slickly pulled off a fast one, passing off as awards bait what is a hilarious, double-edged parody: that of his iconic macho screen image, and a send-up of the constant jokes these days about his advanced age. ...read the complete Gran Torino movie review at Michael Dequina, Mr. Brown's Movie Site
eFilmCritic
History will have few bad words to say about Clint Eastwood. The iconic actor responsible for some of the most memorable screen characters by name or no name turned into one of the most respected and honored directors of our time. ...read the complete Gran Torino movie review at eFilmCritic
Palo Alto Weekly
Clint Eastwood lays a goose egg with this uncharacteristically dreary drama about the limits of respect and tolerance. ...read the complete Gran Torino movie review at Palo Alto Weekly
Chicago Reader (J.R. Jones)
Like Woody Allen, Clint Eastwood has reached the point where his movies are better when he's not in them. ...read the complete Gran Torino movie review at Chicago Reader (J.R. Jones)
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User Reviews
User Review Summary
based on (2) reviews
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by ryan on January 21, 2009 Ogden, Utah
I went and saw this movie with a friend this weekend I couldn't ask for more it was very entertaining Clint Eastwood was a great actor in the movie. The only negative parts in this movie is the racism just about every word that comes out of Clint ...
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