History YMMV / GranTorino

** Is Walt A MightyWhitey savior rescuing Thao and Sue, and the Hmong’s from a dangerous gang or are Thao and Sue saving Walt from dying alone and bitter.

* DesignatedVillain: Subverted with Walt's kids and grandkids. Walt indicates regret when confessing to the Priest that he was never closer to his sons, but does not state that it's his own fault. On his final day he doesn't bother to call anyone in his family despite tying up other loose ends. His grandkids clearly couldn't care less about him, but that's also likely because they see him as nothing other than a mean judgmental old man who doesn't take any interest in their lives and thus feel no sense of obligation in return. On top of it all his sons are clearly close to their own children. On the other hand, Walt's wife was said to be loved by the community but at her funeral her grandchildren are apathetic and disrespectful. His son isn't much better, as he only calls him to ask if Walt can still get him tickets to a sporting event. Later on when Walt calls him to talk to him he gets blown off. And when they try to put him in a nursing home it ''seems'' like genuine concern but odds are there was mostly an interest in gaining possession of the house. [[spoiler:And when Walt dies and leaves the house to the church]] they are shown to be very irritated, despite it being what his late wife would have wanted.

* AlternateCharacterInterpretation: Walt is not a racist. He doesn't say anything to the Hmong that he wouldn't say to his best friend, or expect his best friend to say to him.

* JerkSue: Tremendously deconstructed. Walt, who is based off Film/DirtyHarry, has been a JerkSue his whole life and has thus driven away anyone who ever cared about him. The purpose of the film has him get over being such an asshole, becoming a JerkWithAHeartOfGold, and finding out that violence just begets more violence, so the peaceful idiots who would be strawmen in earlier Eastwood films ''were right all along''. [[spoiler: And he reaches his redemption by basically pulling one Hell of a ThanatosGambit.]]

* CompleteMonster: Spider is a Hmong gangster who, along with his gang, terrorizes his own neighborhood. He starts off by pressuring his cousin Thao to steal his neighbor [[BadassGrandpa Walt Kowalski]]'s vintage Gran Torino. When he fails at this, Spider and his gang beat up Thao and continually harass his family. Walt initially scares him off, but he continues to harass Thao afterwards and lets his subordinate put out a cigarette in his face. In retaliation for Walt beating up one of his gang members, Spider performs a drive-by shooting on Thao's family and kidnaps his cousin Sue to subject her to a [[RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil violent gang rape]], leaving her bloodied and traumatized. When Walt finally confronts them in the climax, he and his gang [[TheresNoKillLikeOverkill riddle him with bullets]] when they think he might have a gun.[[note]] He did use the quick draw that he used on the black guys earlier in the film, but this time he just pulled out a lighter. Fortunately, this gets him and his gang arrested for shooting an elderly unarmed man. [[ThanatosGambit Exactly what Walt was hoping for]]. [[/note]]

*** [[FridgeLogic Was that foreshadowing?]]

-->'''Thao:''' Boy does my ass hurt from all the guys on my construction job.

* JerkSue: Tremendously deconstructed. Walt, who is based off DirtyHarry, has been a JerkSue his whole life and has thus driven away anyone who ever cared about him. The purpose of the film has him get over being such an asshole, becoming a JerkWithAHeartOfGold, and finding out that violence just begets more violence, so the peaceful idiots who would be strawmen in earlier Eastwood films ''were right all along''. [[spoiler: And he reaches his redemption by basically pulling one Hell of a ThanatosGambit.]]

* CompleteMonster: Spider is a Hmong gangster who terrorizes his own neighbourhood with his gang. He starts off by pressuring his cousin Thao to steal his neighbor [[BadassGrandpa Walt Kowalski]]'s vintage Gran Torino. When he fails at this, Spider and his gang beat up Thao and continually harass his family. Walt initially scares him off, but he continues to harass Thao afterwards and lets his subordinate put out a cigarette in his face. In retaliation for Walt threatening one of his gang members, Spider performs a drive-by shooting on Thao's family and kidnaps his own cousin Sue to subject her to a [[RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil violent gang rape]] leaving her bloodied and traumatized. When Walt finally confronts them in the climax, he and his gang [[TheresNoKillLikeOverkill riddle him with bullets]] when they think he might have a gun.[[note]] He did use the quick draw that he used on the black guys earlier in the film, this time he just pulled out a lighter.[[/note]] Fortunately, this gets him and his gang arrested for shooting an elderly unarmed man. [[ThanatosGambit Exactly what Walt was hoping for]].

* CompleteMonster: Spider is a Hmong gangster who terrorizes his own neighbourhood with his gang. He starts off by pressuring his cousin Thao to steal his neighbor [[BadassGrandpa Walt Kowalski]]'s vintage Gran Torino. When he fails at this, Spider and his gang beat up Thao and continually harass his family. Walt initially scares him off, but he continues to harass Thao afterwards and puts out a cigarette in his face. In retaliation for Walt threatening one of his gang members, Spider performs a drive-by shooting on Thao's family and kidnaps his cousin Sue to subject her to a bloody gang rape. When Walt finally confronts them in the climax, he and his gang brutally murder him just for what wound up being just him putting his hand in his pocket.[[note]] He did use the quick draw that he used on the black guys earlier in the film, this time he just pulled out a lighter.[[/note]] Fortunately, this gets him and his gang arrested for shooting an elderly unarmed man. [[ThanatosGambit Exactly what Walt was hoping for]].

* MemeticMutation: "Get off my lawn" has become the CatchPhrase of many self-aware [[GrumpyOldMan grumpy old men]].

* DesignatedVillain: Walt's kids and grandkids. Walt indicates regret when confessing to the Priest that he was never closer to his sons, but does not state that it's his own fault. On his final day he doesn't bother to call anyone in his family despite tying up other loose ends. His grandkids clearly couldn't care less about him, but that's also likely because they see him as nothing other than a mean judgmental old man who doesn't take any interest in their lives and thus feel no sense of obligation in return. On top of it all his sons are clearly close to their own children.
** On the other hand, Walt's wife was said to be loved by the community but at her funeral her grandchildren are apathetic and disrespectful. His son isn't much better, as he only calls him to ask if Walt can still get him tickets to a sporting event. Later on when Walt calls him to talk to him he gets blown off. And when they try to put him in a nursing home it ''seems'' like genuine concern but odds are there was mostly an interest in gaining possession of the house. [[spoiler:And when Walt dies and leaves the house to the church]] they are shown to be very irritated, despite it being what his late wife would have wanted.

* DesignatedVillain: Walt's kids and grandkids. We see them make numerous attempts to reach out to him, even if it may seem misguided. Walt indicates regret when confessing to the Priest that he was never closer to his sons, but does not state that it's his own fault. On his final day he doesn't bother to call anyone in his family despite tying up other loose ends. His grandkids clearly couldn't care less about him, but that's also likely because they see him as nothing other than a mean judgmental old man who doesn't take any interest in their lives and thus feel no sense of obligation in return. On top of it all his sons are clearly close to their own children.
** On the other hand, Walt's wife was said to be loved by the community but at her funeral her grandchildren are apathetic and disrespectful. His son isn't much better, as he only calls him to ask if Walt can still get him tickets to a sporting event. Later on when Walt calls him to talk to him he gets blown off. And when they try to put him in a nursing home it seems like genuine concern but odds are there was also an interest in gaining possession of the house. [[spoiler:And when Walt dies and leaves the house to the church]] they are shown to be very irritated, despite it being what his late wife would have wanted.

* MoralEventHorizon: Spider, who [[spoiler: performs a drive by on Thao's house and ''rapes Thao's sister'', his own cousin.]]

* CompleteMonster: Spider is a Hmong gangster who terrorizes his own neighbourhood with his gang. He starts off by pressuring his cousin Thao to steal his neighbor [[BadassGrandpa Walt Kowalski]]'s vintage Gran Torino. When he fails at this, Spider and his gang beat up Thao and continually harass his family. Walt initially scares him off, but he continues to harass Thao afterwards and puts out a cigarette in his face. In retaliation for Walt threatening one of his gang members, Spider performs a drive-by shooting on Thao's family and kidnaps his cousin Sue to subject her to a bloody gang rape. When Walt finally confronts them in the climax, he and his gang brutally murder him just for what wound up being just him putting his hand in his pocket.[[note]] He did use the quick draw that he used on the black guys earlier in the film, this time he just pulled out a lighter.[[/note]]

** In a more personal example, Walt has never forgiven himself for the horrible things he did at the war.

-->'''Walt''': Shut the fuck up! You want to know what it's like to kill a man? Well it's goddamn awful, that's what it is. The only thing worse is getting a medal of valour for killing some poor kid that wanted to 'just give up, that's all.' Yeah, some scared little gook just like you. I shot him right in the face with that rifle you were holding in there a while ago. There's not a day goes by that I don't think about it. You don't want that on your soul. But I got blood on my hands. I'm soiled.

* DesignatedVillain: Walt's kids and grandkids. We see them make numerous attempts to reach out to him, even if it may seem misguided. Walt indicates regret when confessing to the Priest that he was never closer to his sons, but does not state that it's his own fault. On his final day he doesn't bother to call anyone in his family despite tying up other looses ends. His grandkids clearly couldn't care less about him, but that's also likely becasue they see him as nothing other than a mean judgmental old man who doesn't take any interest in their lives and thus feel no sense of obligation in return. On top of it all his sons are clearly close to their own children.

* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: Over the credits, [[spoiler: Clint Eastwood sings about the movie's events. A song written by him no less!]]

* CrowningMusicOfAwesome: Over the credits, [[spoiler: Clint Eastwood sings about the movie's events. A song written by him no less!]]

* CompleteMonster: Spider is a Hmong gangster who terrorizes his own neighbourhood with his gang. He starts off by pressuring his cousin Thao to steal his neighbor [[BadassGrandpa Walt Kowalski]]'s vintage Gran Torino. When he fails at this, Spider and his gang beat up Thao and continually harass his family. Walt initially scares him off, but he continues to harass Thao afterwards and puts out a cigarette in his face. In retaliation for Walt threatening one of his gang members, Spider performs a drive-by shooting on Thao's family and kidnaps his cousin Sue to subject her to a bloody gang rape. When Walt finally confronts them in the climax, he and his gang brutally murder him just for putting his hand in his pocket.

* CrowningMomentOfAwesome: [[MemeticMutation GET OFF MY LAWN!]]
** "We used to stack fucks like you five feet high in Korea, use you as sandbags."
** "You ever notice how sometimes you come across somebody you just shouldn't have fucked with? Well, that's me."
** "If I have to come back here again its gonna get ''fucking ugly''"
* CrowningMomentOfFunny: Thao tries to talk like a man and gets a gun pointed at his head for his troubles. The following scene where he puts this training to use counts too.
** Thao then going back with advice on complaining about job, girlfriend, car etc. Thao stumbles confusedly (or sarcastically) through it all, culminating with "My ass hurts from all the guys on my construction job."
** What about the joke Walt told early on in the film?
--->'''Walt''': Oh, I've got one. A Mexican, a Jew, and a colored guy go into a bar. The bartender looks up and says, "Get the fuck out of here."
** [[spoiler: At Walt's funeral when Father Janovich quotes Walt's "superstitious old women" speech Martin the barber can be seen chuckling.]]
** See CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming below. "And don't put a big, gay spoiler on the rear end ..."
* CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming: [[spoiler: Walt lending Thao the Gran Torino to take Yua out on a date.]]
** [[spoiler: Walt leaves Thao his Gran Torino in his will, in gloriously profane fashion, much to the chagrin of his bitchy granddaughter.]]
** A buzzed Walt pointing out to Thao that he is passing up a chance with Youa.

* Narm: Clint Eastwood singing came off as this to many people.

* CompleteMonster: Spider is a Hmong gangster who terrorizes his own neighbourhood with his gang. He starts off by pressuring his cousin Thao to steal his neighbor [[BadassGrandpa Walt Kowalski]]'s vintage Gran Torino. When he fails at this, Spider and his gang beat up Thao and continually harasses his family. Walt initially scares him off, but he continues to harass Thao afterwards and puts out a cigarette in his face. In retaliation for Walt threatening one of his gang members, Spider performs a drive-by shooting on Thao's family and kidnaps his cousin Sue to subject her to a bloody gang rape. When Walt finally confronts them in the climax, he and his gang brutally murder him just for putting his hand in his pocket.

* CompleteMonster: Spider is a Hmong gangster who terrorizes his own neighbourhood with his gang. He pressures his cousin Thao to steal his neighbor [[BadassGrandpa Walt Kowalski]]'s vintage Gran Torino, beating up Thao afterwards for messing this up and menacing his own relatives. Walt initially scares him off, but he continues to harass Thao afterwards and puts out a cigarette in his face. He eventually performs a drive-by shooting on Thao's family, and kidnaps his cousin Sue to subject her to a gang rape. When Walt finally confronts them in the climax, he murders him too.

* MemeticMutation: Get off my lawn.

* CompleteMonster: Spider [[spoiler:eventually attempts to kill Thao's family (who are his relatives) and rapes his cousin.]]

* FridgeBrilliance: [[spoiler: Walt confesses to the priest, but doesn't talk about his experiences in the war. His true confession comes later, to Thao, after he's locked the kid in the basement. . . through a screen door, evoking the screen between the confessor and the penitent in the confession booth.]]
** Just before the climax,[[spoiler:Walt says he "finishes things". A good deal of the scenes in the film show a beginning or middle, ''but not the end''. Thao showing up to work for Walt, Walt's conversation at the bar with the priest, the barbecue, etc.]]
** The first time you watch the movie, you'll probably wonder why Walt is getting a straight shave and is being fitted for a suit. [[spoiler:After the end, it makes sense - he's getting cleaned up for his funeral, which he's already planned.]]
*** Because he wouldn't [[spoiler: trust his family to take care of that properly.]]
** Pay attention at the end, and you will see that the cop arresting Spider is also a Hmong. Becoming a thug was never the only choice for Thao, we just couldn't see any alternatives until after [[spoiler: Walt's sacrifice.]]