Gran Torino [Blu-Ray]

Gran Torino is the newest instalment in the bizarre "every single person is insanely racist" sub-genre of Hollywood movies, which originated with 2004's Academy Award-winning Crash. Walt Kowalski (Clint Eastwood) is a grumpy old man whose absurdly over-the-top racism makes Archie Bunker look like a Benetton ad. Walt is estranged from his family, whose comically callous and inappropriate behaviour makes them wholly unlikeable, leaving him newly widowed and living alone in a neighbourhood now filled with Asian immigrants. Soon Walt's life becomes entangled with the fatherless teenager next door who is at odds with an idiotically vindictive street gang. Gran Torino's approach to racial tension (and the world in general) is about as nuanced and subtle as a shit on the sofa. There are no degrees of bigotry, only all-out name-calling and hatred spewed in every direction by simple caricatures such as: grumpy old white man; grumpy old Asian woman; white guy acting like a "homey"; gangbangers on a street corner; and Asian gangsters in a tricked out car. The acting, including Clint Eastwood's performance, is on par with what you would expect from a school assembly on the evils of racism, with the exception of Ahney Her, whose performance would be better described as "remembering her lines out loud." The Blu-Ray disc comes with one feature over-and-above the standard DVD, exploring Clint Eastwood's acting and directing process. And if you have a player that connects to the Internet you can explore Warner's lack of Blu-Ray live features for the film, including a three-part sign-up process, awkward menu system, various disabled options and a trailer for the film you just watched. The only entertainment to be found in Gran Torino is the unintentional humour, such as Clint Eastwood's "angry old man face," lessons on "how men talk to each other" and the absurdly funny interracial relations.