Gran Torino (2008)

Clint Eastwood growls at a lawn, a priest, a barber and an entire block, and for a while the growl is the whole movie. That’s the tricky part of Gran Torino: it plays Walt’s ugly insults about his Hmong neighbors for laughs much longer than it should, and some of the dialogue around him lands stiff. Stick with it anyway. Ahney Her’s Sue is the best thing here, fearless and funny, the one person who walks right past Walt’s scowl. Watching Bee Vang’s Thao pick up Walt’s lessons in tools, chores and how to talk to a barber gives the movie a soft center it didn’t look like it had. The neighborhood feels real, gang trouble and all, and the stakes creep up quietly. It made $148.1 million domestic on a reported $25 to $33 million budget, a lot of money for a movie about a guy guarding a car. A 7.5 because the ending earns every growl. $1,204 says you tell someone to get off your lawn this week and instantly feel ninety.

What works: Ahney Her’s Sue, the odd mentorship between Walt and Thao, and an ending that flips what you expect from an Eastwood tough guy.

What doesn’t: Walt’s slurs are played for laughs for far too long, and several supporting performances feel stiff and unpolished.

Who it’s for: Anyone who likes a slow-burn drama about a cranky old man who learns, very reluctantly, to care about his neighbors.