For those of you who haven't seen it, it's Clint Eastwood as an aging Korean War veteran living in a gang-infested inner city neighborhood. It's full of adult language and a ridiculous number of racial slurs (Eastwood's character is extremely racist), but it's nonetheless an amazing film. I watched it with my dad a few years back, and it has now become a rite of passage in the Piersma household because of the deep symbolism hidden in it. Those of you who don't want spoilers, turn back now.
Walt Kowalski lives alone. He hates his family, he's bitter towards God, and he's haunted by his memories of the war. His life consists of drinking beer on his porch and fixing his Gran Torino (that's a really nice old car). All that changes when some Hmong immigrants move in next door. After their son Thao is pressured by his gang leader cousin to steal Walt's car, the family commissions him to work for Walt in payment for his crimes. Despite his initial displeasure, Walt takes the would-be thief under his wing and teaches him how to be a real man, giving him useful life skills and showing him how to stand up for himself. In turn, Walt himself learns to let go of his own racism (aside from his incessant use of racial slurs) and becomes good friends with his neighbors.
When the Hmong gang shoots up the neighbors' house in an attempt to get revenge on Thao (Walt humiliates them multiple times through clever banter and demonstrating his prowess with a gun), Walt prepares to enact vengeance. He tricks Thao into staying behind by locking him in the basement and goes to face the gang alone.
This scene is the most important moment of the entire movie.
Walt stands in front of the gang's house and names their sins. As the neighbors gather at their windows, Walt reaches into his jacket. Thinking he has a gun, the gangsters open fire on him, killing him instantly. As he falls, he lands on his back, arms spread wide, blood trickling down his wrists.
As it turns out, he never even had a gun.
He was reaching for his lighter to smoke one last cigarette.
And as he fell to the ground, he landed in the shape of a cross, blood running from his hands.
Now tell me Clint Eastwood isn't trying to make a point.
It's not entirely clear what that point is at first. Judging by his character's statements early on, Eastwood hates God. God is useless. God is dead. But in some way, somehow, for some unknown reason, Walt becomes Christ for his friends. The symbolism is far too obvious to be coincidental. Walt's body is broken, and in that brokenness Thao and his family find freedom. There's even the parallel of Christ's hands bleeding on the cross when Walt hits the ground. Eastwood is intentionally using Christian imagery here. Like Jesus, Walt knew he had no hope of survival. But he also knew that his death would bring judgment on the people who hurt his new family. There were plenty of witnesses, and his lack of a gun guaranteed their incrimination. He sacrificed himself, an innocent, to save his friends.
But hold on, you say. How can you compare a hateful, bitter old racist to the perfect Son of God? And I respond by asking how did Saul, torturer and murderer of Christians, become Paul, the most celebrated evangelist of all time? We emulate Christ. It's what we were meant to do. That doesn't mean we all have to throw ourselves in front of a speeding bullet, but we can all learn to sacrifice for the sake of others. Regardless of our sins, regardless of our pasts, regardless of our circumstances, we can do good in this world through Christ who strengthens us.
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