Gran Torino is a film directed by the great Clint Eastwood. Main characters are played by Clint Eastwood himself and Bee Vang.

Walt Kowalski is a Korean War veteran living in a neighborhood dominated by poor Asian families where gang extortion and violence is commonplace. The Hmong Vang Lor family resides next door to Walt. At first, Walt’s only desire is to be left alone, but one day, when young Thao is being attacked by the Hmong gang, Walt helps him out by threatening them with a shotgun.

From that moment on, he becomes closer to the Vang Lor family and especially to Thao. He helps him, his sister and his family. And in the end, he saves their lives by losing his own. 

American society is based on three  pillars:  mother country, family and religion.

Americans are the most patriotic people on earth, even thought their country do not take care of them. For instance, they don’t have public health, so either they have a job or medical care is not assured.  

We can observe this patriotic feeling is reflected in the huge American flag that Kowalski has in his porch. However, his neighborhood is plenty of immigrant people. And, as history shows us, immigrants have played a really important role in the United State’s development. 

Another thing that is essential for American people is family. They have a deeply- rooted sense of the family unit: you must put your relatives before anyone else. But, as Gran Torino shows us, this feeling is not reflected in everyday life. Walt Kowalski’s family does not take care of him and Walt’s sons do not put their father before football matches or beer nights, that’s for sure.

Last but not least is religion. More than 50% of the American’s population goes regularly to church and more than the 88% of the people state that they are Catholics. But, as the film shows us one more time, it is not the Catholic priest who understands Walt; it is the Mong sorcerer who really finds out how Walt is and, even more important, why is he like he is.

So, from my point of view, Eastwood’s film is a review against the clichés American society insists on defending. I think he tries to make the audience understand that appearances can be deceptive and that, definitely, people are what they do and not what they say.