Okay, so I didn't love Gran Torino quite as much as I suspected I might. But it was still a good movie. The main theme was obviously life and death (since the priest said the phrase about four times in his encounters with Walt... er... Mr. Kowalski, played by Clint Eastwood). The movie also opened with the death of Kowlaski's wife and a shaman's blessing of a newborn child in the Lor family next door. With all these hints, I expected to learn something new about life and death, but I'm not sure I did.

Life and Death: I could see hints of the life and death theme throughout, but Father Janovich probably summed up the real moral of the story from the very beginning. He said , "You seem to know a lot more about death than you do about living, Walt." And in fact, that was the story that unfolded. Walt's world view had been tainted by death for the last 50 years: the killing he had done in Korea, his experiences watching friends die there, his extreme racism, his penchant for violence, and the severed relationships with his family. All were part of a jaded mentality that would rather shut down, lock up, and hide out than step outside for a breath of fresh air.

However, with the entrance of Thao (Bee Vang) into his life and his lack of anything else to do, Walt's world view had to change. As he became more involved in Thao's family, everything Walt experienced was new: foreign traditions, languages, food, local culture (the gangs), the sheer quantity of human interaction, and even a sense of connection that he never experienced with his own family. For the first time in his life, he began to live outside his world of death.

An Ironic Ending (Spoiler Warning) : The movie concludes with an ironic twist. Walt originally berated Father Janovich for his limited knowledge about life and death, claiming that his cliched words at Mrs. Kowalski's funeral were a result of youth and ignorance. And yet, Father Janovich's first words summed up Walt's story pretty accurately: "Death is bittersweet. Bitter in pain... but sweet in salvation."

Redemption Theme (Spoiler Warning): A friend suggested that this movie was about self-redemption, and it could possibly be read that way. But I read it a different way since Walt's final posture was Christ-like, as that of Jesus hanging on the cross. Christ didn't die to make atonement for his own sins, but to bring salvation to others. Likewise, Walt didn't make atonement for his sins from the war (that was resolved in the confession booth), but he brought salvation to Thao's family. Had Walt chosen another path, Thao and his family would have continued to suffer at the hands of the gang, the government or their own consciences. But Walt's death served as a rescue from "death" for the Lor family. In that capacity, he was more like Christ who saves us from "death" in this life and the next.

No Real Answers: The film ultimately left me somewhat unsettled, as if the answers to the primary issues were never really clarified. On one level, it was nice to see someone bravely, fearlessly stand up to the injustice of gangs and punks. On the other hand, the filmmakers didn't pull any punches about the consequences of such actions. It was nice to see Walt finally open up, live freely, and be vulnerable. On the other hand, the filmmakers didn't reward him or the Lor family for their efforts. Instead, they all suffered for it. It was nice to see the peace/redemption themes of sacrificing self rather than killing others. On the other hand, the filmmakers didn't give Walt a very "happy" ending. It is as if the filmmakers don't really want to give us a slanted message. Ultimately, we have to decide what we think about all these things.