Film Review : Gran Torino

Stereotyping is a major issue in the world today, however, mostly in the United States. It is known as fixed impressions, exaggerated or preconceived ideas about particular social groups, usually based solely on physical appearance (The New York Company). Crash is a great example because it shows others stereotyping individuals in many ways. According to Schingel, it is the perfect analogy of how we as a human race deal with life, people and our own experiences. The movie, released in 2005, shows each character's point of view, rather it be from an African-American, Caucasian, or a Latino. It follows each character throughout the movie to show how they live their daily lives.

A racial stereotype is defined as a simplistic, rigid and unfair generalization of a racial-ethnic identity. Thus the film achieves the opposite effect.

In his film ‘Gran Torino’, Clint Eastwood tells the story of an unlikely relationship between Korean War veteran Walt Kowalski and his Hmong neighbours Thao and Sue. The film explores the possibility of redemption, “second chances”, and the hope that comes from having a positive future. Both Walt and Thao experience redemption in the film. Walt is saved from the guilt of murder and broken relationships. Ultimately, Walt finds “peace” with himself, with others and with God. Walt’s young neighbour Thao is rescued from a future of crime and violence, and the shame of attempted theft. Ultimately, Thao gains a future as a

The film Ethnic Notions examines the various caricatures of African Americans in popular culture and the consequences of these representations from the 1800s to the 1980s. The film showed how America went through a face of injustice for a period of time. The internet defines stereotype as qualities assigned to groups of people related to their race, nationality and sexual orientation, to name a few. (Kemick) Throughout American history, African Americans have been victims of stereotypes in many ways. White majority use violence caricatures, stereotypes, dominance, subordination and the media as ways to overpower African Americans.

134). In Gran Torino, the concept of social categorization is depicted by Walt’s ignorance of Sue’s (Tao’s sister) ethnic background, in which he asks her, “What is a... where is Hmong or whatever?” she responds by saying, “Wow! You’re so enlightened. Hmong isn’t a place, it’s a people. Hmong people come from different parts of Laos and Thailand and China” (Eastwood et al., & Eastwood, 2008). Another example of social categorization is shown by Walter’s misconceptions about Sue’s and other Asian-Americans ethnic backgrounds when he said, “What in the hell’s the matter with you? I thought all you Asian girls were supposed to be so smart. That’s how you end up in the obituaries, that is, if they can identify your body once they pull it out of the goddamned river” (Eastwood et al., & Eastwood, 2008).

There are African Americans, Latino’s, Caucasians, and Persians. This movie has these unalike characters of unalike cultures stumble upon each other during the film. Many of these characters judge the other based on their color,

Media underrepresentation and representation is a major source for stereotypes. How Asians are portrayed in media is one source for the prejudice that Asians are geeky and nerdy friends; they are mostly casted as extras and minor roles, and few Asian actors have played a lead role. Yellowfacing also contributes to embedding stereotypes about Asians in others starting from a young age. Some stereotypes that branch out from media are:

The movie Gran Torino is a film rife of depicting and promoting white male masculinity while on the other hand underrating some members of the other group and revealing them as weak, powerless and dependent on the whites for survival and protection. The movie also reveals failure of some characters to live up to social expectations by fulfilling the responsibilities that have been naturally assigned to them as parents or grandparents.

I can see why this film is the required film in the section, it fits perfectly, I really can’t think of a better film to display stereotypes and behaviors related to them. This film really plays on a person’s emotions. There is so much that could be discussed. I have seen this film before, but I don’t remember it having such an impact on me after watching it through this context. I noticed a lot more stereotypes than I ever had before. It’s almost as if every contact we see there is stereotypes being presented, different ethnicities colliding.

Stereotypes define who we are based on how society views us. One particular example is race. No matter where we came from, various types of people based on characters and behaviors judge our race especially our skin colors. Nowadays, when someone from the same group of race does something outside from the norm, others from a different race prejudice or stigmatize he whole group due to the cause/fault of one individual acting different. This ideology has adapt into many cultures in which films/movies now portrays a lot of stereotypes.

The Johari Window is explained by a model showing the different ways of communication between yourself and others. The Johari Window goes to explain the different types of views of yourself. What you allow people to see, what you don't know that people see, what you don't let people see, and what you and others don't see. In the movie Gran Torino, the character Walt learns to allow people to see him as his true self, and not just how he allows people to see him. Which is explained using the Johari Window.

After losing his wife, Walt Kowalski was left with spoiled children and grandchildren, cigarettes, Pabst Blue Ribbon and his 1972 Gran Torino. Walt was retired from the military after serving in the Korean war. In the beginning of the movie Walt appears to be disgruntled, racist and tough-minded. He was not ecstatic that a Hmong family was moving into his deceased neighbors house. Meanwhile, the Hmong family next door faces some challenges of their own. Brother and sister, Thao and Sue are settling into their new lives in America, when their cousin, gang member “Spider”, starts harassing Thao. Spider pushes Thao to initiate into his gang by stealing Walt

In Gran Torino (2008) the main character, is a Korean War Veteran and has an obvious bias towards those of Asian descent. He also harbors guilt from killing a Korean soldier who had surrendered while in Korea. His neighbors are of Asian descent and he catches the son trying to steal his car and because of that his family makes the son do work for him as penance. Due to the Korean and Vietnam wars, Asians had faced discrimination and racial slurs, this film portrayed that no differently. The Asian culture are closely connected to their family and often many generations reside together or very

The film Gran Torino directed by Client Eastwood challenges The issues of stereotypes through the attributes of contemporary assumptions of status, gender and ethnicity. Exploring the themes of absence of a male dominate figure, enabling protagonist Theo to be a feminine figure exploits the idea of gender portrays the Hmong men to be stereotyped.Ethnicity and status also express multiple meanings through the cinematography and the Hollywood narrative style illustrates many representation  of the western and eastern cultures These key terms gender, ethnicity  and status all intertwine with each other during the entire film. The Hmong culture have been stereotyped by the western culture concerning that the American way is the only way which

Gran Torino is a film about an old and very racist Korean war vet that is living a country that is fast changing and has a problem with gangs. This leads to the vet learning that they are not all that different and helping out the neighbouring family by giving his life to have the gang set to prison for murder.