Gran Torino (2009)
89%RT Audience Score: 90%
Awards & Nominations: 21 wins & 22 nominations
Though a minor entry in Eastwood’s body of work, Gran Torino is nevertheless a humorous, touching, and intriguing old-school parable.
Gran Torino is a movie that will make you laugh, cry, and maybe even cringe a little. Clint Eastwood’s performance as Walt Kowalski is both gruff and endearing, and watching him take on a gang of young thugs is oddly satisfying. Sure, the movie has its flaws, but it’s still a heartwarming story about redemption and the power of human connection. Plus, who doesn’t love a good car chase scene? Overall, Gran Torino is a must-watch for any Eastwood fan or anyone who just wants to see a good old-fashioned hero story.
Production Company(ies)
Newmarket Capital Group Team Todd I Remember Productions,
Distributor
Warner Bros.
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Wide)
Filming Location(s)
Royal Oak, Michigan, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for language throughout, and some violence
Year of Release
2009
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:DTS Dolby Digital SDDS
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Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
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Runtime:1h 57m
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Language(s):English, Hmong
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Country of origin:United States, Germany
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jan 9, 2009 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 9, 2009
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Clint Eastwood, Christopher Carley, Bee Vang, Ahney Her, Brian Haley, Geraldine Hughes, directed by Clint Eastwood, written by Nick Schenk, drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Deborah Ross, Candice Frederick, Ben Kenigsberg, Joshua Rothkopf, Christine Champ, Cosmo Landesman, Nicholas Oon, Mike Massie, Jason Best, Richard Propes, Nikki Baughan, MPAA rating R, retired auto worker, Korean War vet, beer, home repair, despising, Asian, Latino, black families, neighborhood, gangbangers, reluctant hero, unlikely friendship, inclusive Clint, Dirty Harry, tribute, living legend, showdown trope, Westerns, audience reviews, best horror movies, RT podcasts, most anticipated movies, Netflix series, TV premiere dates
Worldwide gross: $269,958,228
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $373,112,162
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 408
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 40,688,349
US/Canada gross: $148,095,302
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $204,684,105
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 337
US/Canada opening weekend: $271,720
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $375,547
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,473
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $33,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $45,609,654
Production budget ranking: 866
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $24,560,799
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $302,941,709
ROI to date (est.): 432%
ROI ranking: 306
Christopher Carley – Father Janovich
Bee Vang – Thao
Ahney Her – Sue
Brian Haley – Mitch Kowalski
Geraldine Hughes – Karen Kowalski
Director(s)
Clint Eastwood
Writer(s)
Nick Schenk
Producer(s)
Clint Eastwood, Robert Lorenz, Bill Gerber
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
21 wins & 22 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (236) | Top Critics (70) | Fresh (191) | Rotten (45)
It is a flawed movie, vastly overwritten, with characters pointing things out that we’ve long worked out for ourselves. Still, the self-referentiality of Eastwood’s performance ensures that Gran Torino isn’t just absorbing, but also moving.
August 29, 2018
Deborah Ross
The Spectator
TOP CRITIC
Seeing Eastwood ward off young gangsters was odd… well, but he pulled it off enough.
September 12, 2017 | Rating: B
Candice Frederick
Reel Talk Online
TOP CRITIC
November 18, 2011 | Rating: 3/5
Ben Kenigsberg
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
November 17, 2011 | Rating: 1/5
Joshua Rothkopf
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
Though the film feels like a requiem, Kowalski’s heart is still defiantly beating.
May 6, 2011 | Rating: B+
Christine Champ
Film.com
TOP CRITIC
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.
February 27, 2009 | Rating: 3/5
Cosmo Landesman
Times (UK)
TOP CRITIC
Its characters find peace through acts of openness, understanding and sacrifice, and it is these arcs that allow the audience to feel a sense of cathartic peace ourselves.
September 5, 2021
Nicholas Oon
Maximum Hype (YouTube)
The originality of the film is minute, while the story offers few surprises.
November 28, 2020 | Rating: 7/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
The film is clunky in places… but it is also warm, funny and moving, and genuinely thought-provoking about no end of hot-button contemporary issues, from race and class, to ageing and masculinity.
November 20, 2020
Jason Best
What’s On TV
A rewarding, entertaining film.
September 9, 2020 | Rating: 3.0/4.0
Richard Propes
TheIndependentCritic.com
As a film, Gran Torino is powerful, moving and entertaining; as a tribute to a living legend, it’s deeply, indelibly affecting.
November 4, 2019 | Rating: 5/5
Nikki Baughan
Roll Credits
It takes the showdown trope so prevalent in his treasured Westerns and turns it on its head.
October 2, 2019 | Rating: 3.5/5
David Harris
Spectrum Culture…
Plot
Retired auto worker and Korean War vet Walt Kowalski becomes a reluctant hero when he stands up to gangbangers who try to force an Asian teen to steal his treasured car, leading to an unlikely friendship between Walt and the teen.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Clint Eastwood not only starred in Gran Torino, but also directed the film.
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