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Well into his fifth decade as one of the world's most popular and honored movie stars, Eastwood has lately sloughed off acting to concentrate on directing; Gran Torino is the ninth feature (including the documentary Piano Blues) that he's helmed since turning 70 in 2000. He doesn't do much work in front of the camera anymore, but what's there is choice. His last starring role, as the grizzled fight trainer in 2004's Million Dollar Baby, earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor, while the movie won for picture, actress (Hilary Swank), supporting actor...
That makes an Eastwood lead role a movie event--especially since he's hinted he would stick to directing from now on. About Gran Torino, he recently said, "That will probably do it for me as far as acting is concerned." (We hope not. At 78, he still looks great.) He might have been kidding, but you'll want to catch the film in case it really is the Lone Thespian taking his last ride into the sunset...
Another similarity: the self-assurance of the Clint character, an almost religious trust in first impulses, is reflected in Eastwood's method as a film director. Others take years to nurse a project; Eastwood revved up Gran Torino in June, started shooting in mid-July and had his final cut by the end of October. This cool efficiency endears him to screenwriters (if he likes a script, he shoots it without demanding a million rewrites) and most actors (if he likes Take 1, he prints it and goes to the next scene). Hey, it's only a movie. And often...
...overrated as his acting is underrated. He's a fine director when he connects with the linear clarity of a simple story--which is why the teeming narratives of Mystic River and Changeling don't work quite so well as straight-ahead fables like Million Dollar Baby and Gran Torino. The latter movies have one other advantage: the director is also the star...
...stubborn Indians and stud gunslingers, he's surrounded by Hispano-punks and Hmong immigrants from Southeast Asia. And now Tao (Bee Vang), a Hmong teen who's bullied by both ethnic groups, has broken into Walt's garage to steal the old man's most treasured possession: his 1972 Gran Torino. (See the 100 best movies of all time...