Gran Torino

I had a chance to see Clint Eastwood’s most recent film Gran Torino this past weekend. The R rating for strong language is well deserved as Eastwood’s character spews an endless stream of racial, ethnic and sexual slurs and insults. Its also true that the film’s Catholic tone and theme’s are almost non existent in movies today. From the persistent priest trying carry out his promise to Eastwood’s dead wife to get her husband to Confession, the development and promotion of male virtue, the depiction of family and ultimately the self less sacrifice, (in atonement for Eastwood’s sin) the film exudes an unmistakable Catholic flavor. I do not know if Eastwood is Catholic but I can say he definitely understands what it means to be a man and he is unafraid to proclaim and teach the Catholic understanding of manly virtues. The scene where his son and daughter come over to celebrate his birthday with some cake and nursing home pamphlets while his Hmong neighbors ask him to a feast sparks his awareness that he has more in common with the foreigners next door than his own flesh and blood. The themes of family, the respect for elders and the place of food within framework of leisure are strong reminders of what really matters in this life.