Gran Torino is a 2008 American drama film directed and produced by Clint Eastwood, who also starred in the film. This was Eastwood's first starring role since 2004's Million Dollar Baby. The film features a large Hmong-American cast (the first time for an American mainstream film), as well as one of Eastwood's younger sons, Scott. Eastwood's oldest son of record, Kyle, composed the film's score with Michael Stevens, while Jamie Cullum and Clint Eastwood (in-character as Kowalski) provide the theme song.

Plot

Recently widowed Walt Kowalski is a cantankerous and prejudiced Korean War combat veteran and retired Ford factory worker. His Rust Belt neighborhood in Metro Detroit has become ridden with gang violence and poor Hmong immigrants, including Walt's next-door neighbors, the Vang Lor family. Walt is estranged from his family, angrily rejecting his son's suggestion that he move to a retirement community in favor of living alone with his elderly labrador Daisy. A chronic tobacco user, Walt suffers from coughing fits, occasionally spitting up blood. As requested by Walt's late wife, her priest, Father Janovich, tries to comfort Walt and persuade him to go to confession. Despite being harshly rejected by Walt, Father Janovich repeatedly tries to get through to him.