Summary

The film Gran Torino (2008) directed by Clint Eastwood tells the story of the recently widowed Walt Kowalski, a retired Ford factory worker and a veteran of the Korean War. 

The movie starts at the funeral of Walt’s wife’s. Walt seems displeased by his grandkids who behave inappropriately at a funeral. It is clear that Walt and his family are not close. 

After the funeral, Walt seems uncomfortable with all the people gathered at his house. He is also annoyed that his neighbors, a Hmong family, are having a large gathering and makes very racist comments. Walt’s neighborhood has now become a Hmong community, and Walt is one of the only white people left there. 

Thao, a Hmong teenager who lives next door to Walt, is walking down the street when a car full of Latino gang members stops next to him and starts harassing him. The rival Hmong gang arrives and makes them leave Thao alone, but they want Thao to join their gang. When Thao finally relents, Smokie, the leader of the gang tells him he has to steal Walt’s vintage car, a Gran Torino in perfect condition, as an initiation ritual.

Walt is woken up at night by noise coming from his garage. He grabs a gun and rushes in, pointing the loaded gun right at Thao’s face. Thao and Walt trip and fall, and Thao manages to escape. 

The next day, the Hmong gang arrives at Thao’s house. They are mad tha...