A Must See: Gran Torino

I recently saw the Clint Eastwood movie Gran Torino. Set in Detroit (although the original screenplay was set in Minneapolis, MN), it tells the story of Walt Kowalski, an old, grumpy, and racist Korean Vet who lives in an increasingly immigrant dominated neighborhood. His sensibilities to immigrants start to change as he learns about his Hmong neighbors. Some highlights:

• An accurate represenation of the refugee resettlemen system. At one point Walt is in his truck with Sue Lor and in answer to his question about why are there so many Hmong in such a cold place anyway, she mentions that the Lutherans brought them over here. Refugees who are resettled have very minimal input about where they are resettled, which is why there are large concetrations of Hmong and Somalis in Minnneapolis.
  
• The plight of young men caught between the pressure of joining a gang or being ostracized by them. In many inner cities, where gang life is predominant, without a strong male presence in the household, it can be a hard life to escape.
• Gender based violence cuts across all races and ethnicities.