Gran Torino - Plot

Plot

Walt Kowalski (Clint Eastwood) is a gruff, retired Polish American assembly line worker and Korean War veteran, who has recently been widowed after 50 years of marriage. His Highland Park, Michigan neighborhood in the Detroit area, formerly populated by working-class white families, is now dominated by poor Asian immigrants, and gang violence is commonplace. Adding to the isolation he feels is the emotional detachment of his family. He rejects a suggestion from one of his sons to move to a retirement community (sensing they want his home and possessions), and lives alone with his dog, Daisy. Walt suffers from coughing fits, occasionally coughing up blood, but conceals this from his family. A young Catholic priest tries to comfort him, but Walt disdains the young, inexperienced man.

The Hmong Vang Lor family reside next door to Walt. Initially, he wants nothing to do with his new neighbors, particularly after he catches Thao (Bee Vang), a member of that family, attempting to steal his Ford Gran Torino as a coerced initiation into a Hmong gang run by Thao's cousin, "Spider". The gang is infuriated by Thao's failure and and they attack him, but Walt confronts them with an M1 Garand rifle and chases them off, earning the respect of the Hmong community. As penance, Thao's mother makes him work for Walt, who has him do odd jobs around the neighborhood, and the two form a grudging mutual respect. Thao's sister Sue (Ahney Her) introduces Walt to Hmong culture and helps him bond with the Hmong community. Walt helps Thao get a job and gives him dating advice.

Spider's gang continues to pressure Thao, assaulting him on his way home from work. After he sees Thao's injuries, Walt visits the gang's house, where he attacks a gang member as a warning. In retaliation, the gang performs a drive-by shooting on the Vang Lor home, injuring Thao, and kidnapping and raping Sue. There are no witnesses and the members of the community, including the victims, refuse to talk about the crimes; preventing police from doing anything about Spider's gang. The next day, Thao seeks Walt's help to exact revenge, who tells him to return later in the afternoon. In the meantime, Walt makes personal preparations: he buys a suit, gets a haircut, and makes a confession to Father Janovich. When Thao returns, Walt takes him to the basement and gives him his Silver Star; Walt then locks Thao in his basement and tells him that he has been haunted by the memory of killing an enemy soldier (which he had not confessed to Janovich). He insists that Thao must never be haunted by killing another man, especially with his life ahead of him.

That night, Walt goes to the house of the gang members, where they draw their weapons on him. He speaks loudly, berating them and enumerating their crimes (drawing the attention of the neighbors). Putting a cigarette in his mouth, he asks for a light; he then puts his hand in his jacket and provocatively pulls it out as if he were holding a gun, inciting the gang members to shoot and kill him. As he falls to the ground, his hand opens to reveal the Zippo lighter with First Cavalry insignia he has used throughout the film: he was unarmed. Sue, following Walt's directions earlier, frees Thao, and they drive to the scene in Walt's Gran Torino. A Hmong police officer tells them the gang members have been arrested for murder and the surrounding neighbors have all come forward as witnesses.

Walt's funeral Mass is celebrated by the young priest, Father Janovich, and attended by his family and many of the Hmong community. Afterward, his last will and testament is read, where, to the surprise of his family, Walt leaves them nothing: his house goes to the church and his cherished Gran Torino to Thao (provided he doesn't modify it). As the film ends, Thao is seen driving the car along Lakeshore Drive with Daisy.