Zone1 Was Clint Eastwood's character in 'Gran Torino' an anti-Asian Racist or not?

[MarathonMike]

SPOILER ALERT! This contains a summary of the movie along with my personal take..........

I've seen the movie 'Gran Torino' a couple of times and read several reviews of the film. Not surprisingly, all the reviews can't condemn the "blatant anti-Asian Racism" strongly enough. Clearly, Walt Kowalski reflects the Racism of his generation and the general nasty disposition of many White men of the time. I certainly remember my neighborhood full of angry White Fathers who were mean to everyone, not just minorities.

But I think all the reviewers do the film an injustice by not exploring the story and the Walt Kowalski character in more depth. He certainly hurls awful slurs at his innocent Asian neighbors, but to me that is just being authentic to who Kowalski was. The more interesting side of him emerges as he takes the young teenager Thao under his wing and ends up protecting him from a local gang of Asian thugs.

He treats him like a son and later in the film when the gang beats and rapes Thao's sister, Kowalski literally sacrifices his own life to insure the gang is imprisoned and insures Thao's family is safe from them. The best scene imo is at the end of the movie where at the reading of his Will, Walt gives his prize car to Thao and not his own bratty grand daughter.

So what do you think? Was 'Gran Torino' just a vile Racist movie, or was it a fair exploration of the complex topic of Racism and what it means to be a Racist?

 

[BackAgain]

Spoiler Alert.

Spoiler: Spoiler alert re Gran Torino

He seemed to be at least early on in the movie.

 

[Weatherman2020]

SPOILER ALERT! This contains a summary of the movie along with my personal take..........

I've seen the movie 'Gran Torino' a couple of times and read several reviews of the film. Not surprisingly, all the reviews can't condemn the "blatant anti-Asian Racism" strongly enough. Clearly, Walt Kowalski reflects the Racism of his generation and the general nasty disposition of many White men of the time. I certainly remember my neighborhood full of angry White Fathers who were mean to everyone, not just minorities.

But I think all the reviewers do the film an injustice by not exploring the story and the Walt Kowalski character in more depth. He certainly hurls awful slurs at his innocent Asian neighbors, but to me that is just being authentic to who Kowalski was. The more interesting side of him emerges as he takes the young teenager Thao under his wing and ends up protecting him from a local gang of Asian thugs.

He treats him like a son and later in the film when the gang beats and rapes Thao's sister, Kowalski literally sacrifices his own life to insure the gang is imprisoned and insures Thao's family is safe from them. The best scene imo is at the end of the movie where at the reading of his Will, Walt gives his prize car to Thao and not his own bratty grand daughter.

So what do you think? Was 'Gran Torino' just a vile Racist movie, or was it a fair exploration of the complex topic of Racism and what it means to be a Racist?

Good movie. Shows people can change and do the right thing.

 

[Votto]

SPOILER ALERT! This contains a summary of the movie along with my personal take..........

I've seen the movie 'Gran Torino' a couple of times and read several reviews of the film. Not surprisingly, all the reviews can't condemn the "blatant anti-Asian Racism" strongly enough. Clearly, Walt Kowalski reflects the Racism of his generation and the general nasty disposition of many White men of the time. I certainly remember my neighborhood full of angry White Fathers who were mean to everyone, not just minorities.

But I think all the reviewers do the film an injustice by not exploring the story and the Walt Kowalski character in more depth. He certainly hurls awful slurs at his innocent Asian neighbors, but to me that is just being authentic to who Kowalski was. The more interesting side of him emerges as he takes the young teenager Thao under his wing and ends up protecting him from a local gang of Asian thugs.

He treats him like a son and later in the film when the gang beats and rapes Thao's sister, Kowalski literally sacrifices his own life to insure the gang is imprisoned and insures Thao's family is safe from them. The best scene imo is at the end of the movie where at the reading of his Will, Walt gives his prize car to Thao and not his own bratty grand daughter.

So what do you think? Was 'Gran Torino' just a vile Racist movie, or was it a fair exploration of the complex topic of Racism and what it means to be a Racist?

It's like asking if Blazing Saddles was racist against Blacks because of their use of the N word.

But Clint being a conservative, people can't help but making stupid accusations like this.

 

[MarathonMike]

Spoiler Alert.

Spoiler: Spoiler alert re Gran Torino

He seemed to be at least early on in the movie.

Read the first line of my review. Do you have an opinion on the movie?

 

[MarathonMike]

It's like asking if Blazing Saddles was racist against Blacks because of their use of the N word.

But Clint being a conservative, people can't help but making stupid accusations like this.

I'm just wondering if I can start actual discussion on Race Relations in the Race Relations Forum instead of the usual nonsense.

 

[Hellbilly]

SPOILER ALERT! This contains a summary of the movie along with my personal take..........

I've seen the movie 'Gran Torino' a couple of times and read several reviews of the film. Not surprisingly, all the reviews can't condemn the "blatant anti-Asian Racism" strongly enough. Clearly, Walt Kowalski reflects the Racism of his generation and the general nasty disposition of many White men of the time. I certainly remember my neighborhood full of angry White Fathers who were mean to everyone, not just minorities.

But I think all the reviewers do the film an injustice by not exploring the story and the Walt Kowalski character in more depth. He certainly hurls awful slurs at his innocent Asian neighbors, but to me that is just being authentic to who Kowalski was. The more interesting side of him emerges as he takes the young teenager Thao under his wing and ends up protecting him from a local gang of Asian thugs.

He treats him like a son and later in the film when the gang beats and rapes Thao's sister, Kowalski literally sacrifices his own life to insure the gang is imprisoned and insures Thao's family is safe from them. The best scene imo is at the end of the movie where at the reading of his Will, Walt gives his prize car to Thao and not his own bratty grand daughter.

So what do you think? Was 'Gran Torino' just a vile Racist movie, or was it a fair exploration of the complex topic of Racism and what it means to be a Racist?

I think its similar to American History X. The story of a racist who figures out that being a racist is wrong and changes.

 

[Rambunctious]

In that movie Clint was a long time resident of that house and street and he was one who never flew to the suburbs choosing instead to remain in his home as the neighborhood was invaded by Asians... he watched as the street and community went downhill and it made him resentful....
I think there is a fine line between resenting what people are doing to the neighborhood you love and being a racist... If they were white trash on meth he would have felt the same...
Maybe its the fault of both parties... a little pride in the community you move into would help a great deal...

 

[BackAgain]

Read the first line of my review. Do you have an opinion on the movie?

I had begun to dislike it.

But I stuck with it.

By the time it was over, I really liked it. And I agree that it explores the ability of people to change and grow.

 

[evenflow1969]

Clint filmed a movie that basically took place on a porch with no other names in it but himself. Turned it into a smash hit and got across a moral lesson. Gotta respect the man all the way around. As far as complaining about the movie, those people just were not paying attention. Their loss not mine.

 

[White 6]

I don't think he changed from being racist toward Asians in general, but he discovered there were limits to (what he thought) acceptable racism, even to him, and there was a point where he would take a stand to help individual Asians, he had come to know whether of a race he generally disdained or not.

 

[rightwinger]

The key was that Walt got over his racism and grew to love and be accepted by the Hmong family next door

 

[Mac-7]

In that movie Clint was a long time resident of that house and street and he was one who never flew to the suburbs choosing instead to remain in his home as the neighborhood was invaded by Asians... he watched as the street and community went downhill and it made him resentful....
I think there is a fine line between resenting what people are doing to the neighborhood you love and being a racist... If they were white trash on meth he would have felt the same...
Maybe its the fault of both parties... a little pride in the community you move into would help a great deal...

I think the white kid that eastwood called a pussy, who was with the asian girl, was his son in real life

Good movie

Now the asian boy in the movie is throwing eastwood under the bus which proves that he was the actual pussy in real life

 

[Mac-7]

The key was that Walt got over his racism and grew to love and be accepted by the Hmong family next door

Is that acceptable in lib culture?

Its my impression that no one ever changes their mind in lib la la land

 

[Rawley]

SPOILER ALERT! This contains a summary of the movie along with my personal take..........

I've seen the movie 'Gran Torino' a couple of times and read several reviews of the film. Not surprisingly, all the reviews can't condemn the "blatant anti-Asian Racism" strongly enough. Clearly, Walt Kowalski reflects the Racism of his generation and the general nasty disposition of many White men of the time. I certainly remember my neighborhood full of angry White Fathers who were mean to everyone, not just minorities.

But I think all the reviewers do the film an injustice by not exploring the story and the Walt Kowalski character in more depth. He certainly hurls awful slurs at his innocent Asian neighbors, but to me that is just being authentic to who Kowalski was. The more interesting side of him emerges as he takes the young teenager Thao under his wing and ends up protecting him from a local gang of Asian thugs.

He treats him like a son and later in the film when the gang beats and rapes Thao's sister, Kowalski literally sacrifices his own life to insure the gang is imprisoned and insures Thao's family is safe from them. The best scene imo is at the end of the movie where at the reading of his Will, Walt gives his prize car to Thao and not his own bratty grand daughter.

So what do you think? Was 'Gran Torino' just a vile Racist movie, or was it a fair exploration of the complex topic of Racism and what it means to be a Racist?

One thing you left out was that Eastwood's character was a veteran of the Korean war, which likely shaped some of his opinions on Koreans.

 

[MarathonMike]

I think the white kid that eastwood called a pussy, who was with the asian girl, was his son in real life

Good movie

Now the asian boy in the movie is throwing eastwood under the bus which proves that he was the actual pussy in real life

Yes, I was disappointed when I read the Asian actor's comments.

 

[MarathonMike]

I don't think he changed from being racist toward Asians in general, but he discovered there were limits to (what he thought) acceptable racism, even to him, and there was a point where he would take a stand to help individual Asians, he had come to know whether of a race he generally disdained or not.

He did more than take a stand for Thao and his family, he sacrificed his life. To me the message of the movie is that people are complex and that perhaps words and slurs are not nearly as important as one's actions and how one actually treats people. Take the example of Grant Napear whose sportscasting career was destroyed and his good name ruined because he said "All Lives Matter".

 

[Blaster]

A really good movie with an excellent narrative.

 

[AZrailwhale]

He did more than take a stand for Thao and his family, he sacrificed his life. To me the message of the movie is that people are complex and that perhaps words and slurs are not nearly as important as one's actions and how one actually treats people. Take the example of Grant Napear whose sportscasting career was destroyed and his good name ruined because he said "All Lives Matter".

One should always judge people by their actions, not their words, the mouth often lies, actions rarely do.

 

[The Duke]

SPOILER ALERT! This contains a summary of the movie along with my personal take..........

I've seen the movie 'Gran Torino' a couple of times and read several reviews of the film. Not surprisingly, all the reviews can't condemn the "blatant anti-Asian Racism" strongly enough. Clearly, Walt Kowalski reflects the Racism of his generation and the general nasty disposition of many White men of the time. I certainly remember my neighborhood full of angry White Fathers who were mean to everyone, not just minorities.

But I think all the reviewers do the film an injustice by not exploring the story and the Walt Kowalski character in more depth. He certainly hurls awful slurs at his innocent Asian neighbors, but to me that is just being authentic to who Kowalski was. The more interesting side of him emerges as he takes the young teenager Thao under his wing and ends up protecting him from a local gang of Asian thugs.

He treats him like a son and later in the film when the gang beats and rapes Thao's sister, Kowalski literally sacrifices his own life to insure the gang is imprisoned and insures Thao's family is safe from them. The best scene imo is at the end of the movie where at the reading of his Will, Walt gives his prize car to Thao and not his own bratty grand daughter.

So what do you think? Was 'Gran Torino' just a vile Racist movie, or was it a fair exploration of the complex topic of Racism and what it means to be a Racist?

No.

Have you ever been around vets that had to kill zipperheads so they didn't get killed?

Well that's a lot different than having immigrant neighbors in America.