"I'm really sorry about Dorothy, Walt." "She was a real peach." "Thanks for coming, Al." "Spectacles, testicles, wallet and watch." "Look at the old man glaring at Ashley." "He can't even tone it down for Mom's funeral." "What do you expect?" "Dad's still living in the '50s." "He expects his granddaughter to dress a little more modestly." "Yeah, well your kid's wearing a Lions jersey." "I'm sure Dad appreciates that." "The point I'm trying to make is that there's nothing anyone can do that won't disappoint the old man." "It's inevitable." "That's why we stopped doing Thanksgivings." "The deal with the boat motor, the broken bird bath," "It's always something." "What are we going to do with him?" "Don't you think he'll get in trouble over there all by himself in the old neighborhood?" "Why don't you have him move in with you?" "Death is often a bittersweet occasion to us Catholics." "Bitter in the pain." "Sweet in the salvation." "Bitter in the pain it causes the deceased." "... and their families" "Sweet to those of us who know the salvation that awaits." "And some may ask, what is death?" "Is it the end?" "Or is it the beginning?" "And what is life?" "What is this thing we call life?" "All these questions can frustrate you at times like this." "And that's why you have to turn to the Lord." " Jesus..." "Because the Lord is the sweetness." "Is that dad?" " No, that's grandpa Walt." "Platoon, E-Company, March 2nd, 1952." "Korea?" " What's Korea?" "Lot of people showed up after the service, huh?" "Yeah, well, I suppose they heard there'd be a lot of ham." "I'll go down to the basement and get some chairs." "Oh, I can do that, Dad.." " No, we need them now not next week." "Cool, I found a medal." "Look at this." "How much longer do we have to stay?" "This ghetto is a dead zone for my cell and I'm bored." "Ashley, honey, why don't you help Grandpa Walt with the chairs?" "Me?" " Yes, you." "Grandpa Walt, would you like some help with this... four chairs." "No, you probably just painted your nail." "Your dad is driving me crazy." "Why didn't you guys make him a hint we're leaving soon?" "Come on, let's go." "How many swamp rats can get in one room?" "Grandpa, when'd you get the vintage car?" "1972." "I never knew you had a cool old car." "Yeah, it's been here since before you were born." "So, what are you going do with it when you like..." "Die?" "Then what about that super cool retro couch that you have in the den" "Cause I was thinking I'm going to State next year, and I think it would look really good in my dorm room." "And I don't have any furniture at all." "God." "Who are you?" " Hi, I am Tao." " What do you want?" "I live next door." " Come on, get the shit out of your mouth." "I am..." " Tell me what you want." "Do you have any jumper cables?" "My uncle's car is old and....." " No we don't have any jumper cables." "And have some respect, zipper head, we're in mourning here.." "How you holding up, Walt?" "Mr. Kowalski." "Huh?" " Mr. Kowalski, that's my name." "Right, Mr. Kowalski." "Your wife and I became quite close these last few months." "She asked that I watch over you when she passed on." "I told her I watch over my entire flock." "But she made me promise I'd keep an extra sharp eye on you." "I appreciate your kindness you've shown to my wife." "Now that you've spoken your piece, why don't you go and tend to some of your other sheep?" "Ok?" "Dorothy mentioned specifically that it was her desire for you to go to confession." "She said she couldn't remember the last time you went." "Is that so?" " It is." "Well, I confess that I never really cared for church very much." "The only reason I went was because of her." "And I confess that I have no desire to confess to a boy that is just out of the seminary." "Wish I could help dad, but er..." "I gotta get the kids home." "Kids are getting restless." " Yeah, fine, just go." "I'll call in a few, see how you're doing." " Alright." "Killed you to buy American?" "Huh..." "Did you see the way he looked at the truck?" "Sheesh, It's like Race-Burner this, Jap-Burner that, you know." "Even at Mom's funeral, he can't let it go." "At least he didn't say anything this time." "He didn't need to." "Well, what do you expect, Mitch, the man worked at a Ford plant for all those years." "I suppose that's my goddamned fault?" "Just give it a rest and drive, Ok?" "Kids, do you want the radio on?" "Yes." "You want to listen to some music?" "Good." "Damn, barbarians" "Oh, Jesus..." "Polarski would roll over in his grave if he could see his lawn now." "Why the hell did chinks have to move in this neighborhood for?" "Have you gone completely deaf or something?" "Hi there, Walt." "Look I'm not a friend of yours." "Why do you insist on calling me Walt?" "Sorry, Mr. Kowalski." "What are you peddling today, padre?" " Nothing." "Thought I'd drop by and see how you're doing." "I haven't seen you in church in a while." "Okay." "Well now that you've done your good deed, why don't you just take off down the road?" "I'd really like to talk, Mr. Kowalski." " Not in this lifetime, sonny." "Why?" "Do you have a problem with me, Mr. Kowalski?" " You don't want to know." "No, I do." "Well I think you're an overeducated, 27-year-old virgin who likes to hold the hands of old ladies who are superstitious and promises them eternity." "Is you a boy or is you a girl, man." "I can't tell" "Hey, Chicito." "If you was in pink, I would fuck you and your ass would be my bitch." "What you reading, Jackass and The rice stalk?" "That's right, you keep walking." "Look at me when I am talking to you." "Fucking slopes everywhere you look, man." "Fucking pricks." "Look at that, man." "That's my little cousin, over there." " You sure that's your cousin, man?" "Fuck yes, that's my little cousin." " He tight with anybody?" "No he's flying solo, man." " Flying solo?" "Let's go down and see what the fuck they're doing to him." "I love your jungles too." "Hey, they fucking with you?" "They fucking with you?" "We can do this right now." "You go fucking back to your country, why don't you?" "Yeah!" "You are fucking rice niggers!" "Ok go!" "Thao, come on man, get in the car." "Dawg, get in the car." "We just bailed your ass out, dawg." "Come on, dawg, get the fuck in here." "Get in the car, man, come on." "Chill with us, man." "We just bailed your ass out!" "Come on." "Come on, Thao, man." " Fuck him, man, let's go." "Come on Spider." " Fuck it." "Get it man, let's go." "fuck his ass." "Tomorrow, I have to see your ass." " Don't be like a little girl!" "Tomorrow." "Come on let's go, man." "We've got the gun, man." "Let's get the fuck out of here." "Let's get this strapped." "Pussy!" "Hey, Thao." "Hey what's up?" "What's up, Thao?" "What are you doing little man?" "Why are you doing woman's work?" "What do you want?" "What?" "We can't just come and talk to my little cousin?" "He doesn't want to talk to you." "I'm here right." " Hey, Spider, who is that?" "What's up?" " Spider?" "Is that what he just called you, Fong?" "Spider!" " Is there something wrong with Spider?" "What are you doing here?" "Hey, so how old are you anyways?" "Mentally, I'm way too old for you." " What?" "You're just stupid." "I'm going inside." "Sue!" "Help your little brother do this gardening." "Fine, stupid." "Hey, you want to roll with us man?" "Come on." "Come on ride with us." " Chill with us." "You need somebody to protect you, man." "That's what your big cousin's for." "Look, dawg." "I've been there, I've done it and I've seen it." "Back in the day everybody used to want to beat me up, dawg." "But now look, nobody wants to fuck with me." "Come on man, let's go." " We are cousins right?" "Come on." " We are cousins right?" "We are family." "Look, a brother to Spider, is a brother to me." "Come on." "Take this shit off." "That's a woman's work man." " Don't get your hands dirty, man." "So what do I have to do?" "Spider told that old boy next door had a bad ass whip." "Told you we got him." "Come on." "Nice." " Ya, my little cousin's being a little man." "Yo, that's a nice car." "1972 Gran Torino, Fastback." "Cobra jet engine." " Yo man it's still in mint condition." "Yo man, it's in mint condition man." "I've got one." "A Mexican, a Jew and a colored guy go into a bar." "The bartender looks up and says:" ""Get the fuck out of here!"" "So, here's where my flock congregates when they're not in church." "Hey Father J." " Hi, Mel." "Hey there, Darryl." "Hey father." " Hi, Walt." "What brings you here, father." "Meat raffle?" "No, I just came down to talk to Walt if that's ok." "Damn, padre." "You are persistent, aren't you?" "I promised your wife." "All right, let's get booze." "I'll have Pabst and a shot of Jack." "And whatever he's having." "I'll have a Diet Coke." " Bullshit." "This is a bar." "You have a drink." "I'll have a gin and tonic." " Attaboy!" "So, what do you want?" "I promised your wife I'd get you to go to confession." "Now, why would you do that?" " She was very insistent." "She made me." "Well you're kinda fond of promising things you can't deliver on, right father?" "Let's talk about something else." " What?" "Life and death." "Life and death." "What the hell do you know about life and death?" "I'd like to think I know a lot." "I'm a priest..." "Yeah, you get up and preach about life and death." "But all what you know is what you learned in priest school." "Right out of the "Rookie Preacher's Handbook"." "I don't know about that." "I think..." "Death is bittersweet." "Sort of bitter in its pain, but sweet in its salvation." "That's what you know of life and death, and that's pathetic." "What do you know, Mr. Kowalski?" "I know a lot." "I lived for almost three years in Korea." "Thanks." "We shot men." "We stabbed them with bayonets, hacked seventeen-year-olds to death with shovels." "Stuff I'll remember 'till the day I die." "Horrible things, but things I live with." "And what about life?" "Well, I..." "I survived the war." "Got married, had a family." "Sounds like you know more about death than you do living." "Maybe so, father." "Maybe so." "Son of a bitch." "Hey, man, get in the car!" " Thao, what the fuck, get in!" "Come on Thao." " Come, let's go, man, get in!" "Fuck man, get in!" "Hello?" "Morning, Dad, it's your number one son, Mitch." "Morning?" "It's after one in the afternoon." "It's not morning." "Oh, right." "Afternoon, then." "So what do you want?" " What?" "No, nothing." "I mean, what would I want?" "Well, I don't know." "Your wife's already gone through all your mother's jewelry." "No, dad, I was just calling to see how you're doing." "Just anything new with the old neighborhood?" "No." " Great." "Smooth sailing then." "Yah." " Ok, good, good, then." "Oh, hey, dad." " Yeah." "You wouldn't happen to still know that guy from the plant who has Lions season tickets?" "Dad?" "Ain't she sweet!" "Come on." "Hey, what's up?" "What are you doing out here, man?" " Nothing." "Minding our own business." " Just hanging out." "What are you guys doing here?" "What?" "Can't I just come hang out with my little cousin?" "Eh?" "We have good new for you man." " Oh really, and what's that?" "Only for guy talk." " I don't think so." "Why not?" "Come on man, we're going to give you another shot." "Don't go, Thao." " Mind your own business girl." "Come on, let's go" " Come." "What the hell is this?" "Get up." " Get off my lawn." "Listen old man, you don't want to fuck with me." "Did you hear me?" "I said get off my lawn, now." "Are you fucking crazy?" "Go back in the house." "Yeah, I'll blow a hole in your face and then I'll go in the house." "And I'll sleep like a baby You can count on that." "We used to stack fucks like you five feet high in Korea, used you for sandbags." "Ok." "You better watch your back..." "Thank you." "Get off my lawn." "What the hell is this?" "No, no, no, come on, no more." "Stay right there." "Why can't you people just leave me alone?" "We brought you some shallots to plant in the garden." "I don't want them." "They're perennials, they come back every year." "Look, why are bringing me all this garbage anyway." "Because," "Because you saved, Thao." "I didn't save anybody." "I just kept a bunch of jabbering gooks off of my lawn." "You are a hero to the neighborhood." "I am not a hero." "Too bad, they think you are, that's why they keep bringing you the gifts." "Please take them." " All they're wrong." "I just want to be left alone, thank you." " Wait!" "This is my mom, Vu, I'm Sue and that's my brother, Thao." "We live next door." " So?" "Thao wants to say something." "I'm sorry." " Sorry for what?" "For trying to steal your car." "Let me tell you something boy." "You step on this property again, you're done..." "Good afternoon, Walt." "I told you I'm not going to confession.." " Why didn't you just call the police?" "What?" "I do work with some of the Hmong gangs and I heard there was some trouble in the neighborhood." "Why didn't you call the police?" "Well..." "You know I prayed that they would show up, but.." ".. nobody answered." " What were you thinking?" "Someone could have been killed." "We're talking life and death here." "When things go wrong, you gotta act quickly." "When we were in Korea and a thousand screaming gooks came across our land.." "... we didn't call the police." "We reacted." " We're not in Korea, Mr. Kowalski," "I've been thinking about our conversation on life and death." "About what you said." "About how you carry around all the horrible things you were forced to do." "Horrible things that won't leave you." "It seems that it would do you good to unload some of that burden." "Things done during war are terrible." "Being ordered to kill... killing to save yourself, killing to save others." "You're right, those are things I know nothing about." "But I do know about forgiveness." "And I've seen a lot of men who have confessed their sins, admitted their guilt and left their burdens behind them." "Stronger men than you!" "Men at war who were ordered to do appalling things... and are now at peace." "Well I got to hand it to you, padre, you came here with your guns loaded this time." "Thank you!" " And you're right about one thing." "About stronger men than me, reaching their salvation." "Well, Hallefuckinlujah." " But you are wrong about something else." " What's that, Mr. Kowalski?" "The thing that haunts a man the most is what he isn't ordered to do." "There, finally, you look like a human being again." "You shouldn't wait so long between haircuts, you cheap son of a bitch." "Well I'm surprised you're still around." "I was always hoping that you die off and they get somebody in here that knew what the hell they were doing." "Instead you just keep hanging around, like the do wop dago you are." " That'll be ten bucks, Walt." " Ten bucks, Jesus Christ, Martin." "What are you half-Jew or something?" "You keep raising the prices all the time." "It's been ten bucks for the last five years and you hard-mellows," "Pollack son of a bitch." "Keep the change." " See you in three weeks, prick." "Not if I see you first, dipshit." "That's cool, you know." "Look at this." "Bring that little tight ass over here." "Come here girl." "You can't say hi?" "Why you acting all stuck-up and shit?" "What are you supposed to be man?" " Yo, it's cool dawg." "What the fuck are you doing in my neighborhood, boy?" "Nothing, Just going to the corner spot, you know get some CDs, sound good bro?" "He called, you bro!" " Come on, sound good bro?" "Sound good." " Shut the fuck up." "Call me bro again, and I'll bite your motherfucking face off." "Yeah, motherfucker." " Now what the fuck you all come down here for?" "You here to bring this little present?" "Oriental yummy?" "Don't worry, I'm gonna take real good care of her." "Fuck out of here,." " Fuck out of here, man!" "Oh shit, you have a bitch with you." "Keep your ass right here." "Oh great." "Another asshole who has a fetish for Asian girls." "God, that gets so old." "Oh, shit, what's your name girl?" "My name?" "Get your ass out here, okay." "It' s 'take your crude, overly obvious come-on to every woman who walks past and cram it.'" "That's my name." "Who do you think you're talking to?" "Who does it look like?" "You think you're real funny, don't you?" "Man she's tough." " What?" "You gonna hit me now?" "That'd pretty much complete the picture." "You need to keep your bitch on a leash." "Put a choke chain on that whore and yank it." "Oh, of course, right to the stereotype thesaurus" " Oh yeah" "Call me a whore and a bitch in the same sentence." "Bitch is crazy." "I like them like that" " Now take that bitch." "You don't know when to quit do you, girl?" " Let me teach her a lesson" "Stop!" "Let me go!" "Get your ass over there." "What the fuck are you looking at old man?" "What the hell are you spooks up to?" "Spooks?" "You'd better get your ass on honkey while I still let you." "That's what you'd better do." "What the fuck he thinks he is?" "Ever noticed how you come across somebody once in a while... that you shouldn't have fucked with?" "That's me." "You're fucking crazy, get out of here, man." "Why don't you get your ass out of here before we kicked your wrinkly white ass." "What's wrong with him man?" "The motherfucker's crazy!" "What is this thing?" "What the hell?" "Get in the truck." "Crazy motherfucker." " What's wrong with him, man." "Hey pops come on man." " Shut your fucking face!" "You fucking don't listen, do you?" "Now get in the truck." " Go get in the truck girl." "Way to go, old man!" "Shut up pussy." "What is all that 'bro' shit anyway?" "You want to be super spade, or something" "These guy don't want to be your bro and I don't blame them." "Now get your old faded paddy ass on down the road." "Take care now." "You too." "Oh, yeah." "Why didn't you fucking do nothing?" "Man you fucking..." "Shit man." "If he had cannon in your fucking face, you would do nothing." "What's the matter with you, for Christ's sake?" "Trying to get yourself killed?" "I thought you Asian girls were supposed to be smart." "Hanging around in a neighborhood like that is a fast way to get you in the obituaries." "I know, I know." "Take it easy." "And what about that goofball guy you were with." "Is that a date or something?" "Yeah, kind of." "His name is Trey." " You shouldn't be hanging out with him." "You should be hanging out with your own people." "The other Hummongs." " You mean, Hmong?" "Hmong, not Hummong" " Whatever." "Where the hell is Hmong, I mean Mong anyway?" "Wow, you're so enlightened you know that?" "No, Hmong isn't a place, it's a people." "Hmong people come from different parts of Laos, Thailand and China." "Well how did you end up in my neighborhood?" "Why didn't you stay there?" "It's Vietnam thing." "We fought on your side And when the Americans quit... the communists started killing all the Hmong." "So we came over here." "Yeah, well I don't know how you ended up in the Midwest." "Snow on the ground six months out of the year." "What is it, jungle people wanted to be in the great frozen tundra?" "Hill people, we're hill people." "Not jungle people." "Booga, Booga, booga!" "Yeah, whatever..." "Blame the Lutherans." "They brought us over here." "Everybody blames the Lutherans." "Well, you'd think the cold will keep all the idiots out." "Thanks for the ride." "You know something kid, you're all right." "But what about that dimwit brother of yours?" "Is he a little slow or something?" "Thao is actually really smart." "He just doesn't know what direction to go in." "Poor toad." " It's really common." "Hmong girls over here fit in better." "The girls go to college and the boys go to jail." "That old hag hates my ass." "Your birthday today, Daisy." "This year you'll have to make a choice between two life paths." "Second chances come your way." "Extraordinary events culminate in what might seem to be an anticlimax." "Your lucky numbers are:" "84, 23, 11, 78 and 99." "What a load of shit." "Yeah." "What the hell is it with kids nowadays?" "All right." "Let me help you with those." " Oh, thank you." "How about that?" "How about that, Daisy?" "It's too heavy for the bag." " No problem." "Good, Karen, give it to him." " Here you go." "Well, what is it?" " It's a Gopher." "So you can reach stuff." "It makes things a lot easier." "This is from me." "It's a phone." "Oh, I can see that." "I just thought... well, we thought that it would make things easier." "Thank you, Karen." "There's nothing wrong with making things a little less hard on yourself." "You know Karen's right, Dad." "You've worked hard your whole life." "Maybe it's time you started thinking about taking it easier." "That's another thing, dad." "You really should get rid of the coffin nails." "We were thinking about the house." "You know, with Mom gone, it's got to be a lot to maintain around here." "Let alone clean." "And you're here all alone..." "Yeah, you know, there are these great places now, you know, these communities," "Where you don't have to worry about mowing the lawn or shoveling snow." "You know, the people are like you, active and alert, but are alone." "And would benefit from being around folks their own age." "Yeah Dad, look." "You got to check it out." "We brought some brochures." "These places are nothing like what you think they would be." "They're great." " No, they're beautiful." "They're really nice They really are." "These are top-notch like resorts." "It's like staying in a hotel, practically." " They're beautiful." "They really are." " Yeah." "They care of everything." "They clean up." "They're really nice." "Oh, they have wonderful stores, where you can buy new shoes." "They're amazing, they really are." "You have a good time, play some golf maybe." "Meet other people." "Son of a bitch." "Kicking us out on his birthday." "I told you this was a bad idea." "I know, you were right" " He won't let anybody help him." "Well, we tried." "Can we just drop it?" "No one can say we didn't try." "What the hell's with him, we shouldn't have done it." "We should've stayed home with Josh and Ashley." "At least they were smart enough to not come here." "The goddamn kids have more sense than we do." "We miss mom, don't we Daisy?" "Hey, Walt." "What are you up to?" "We're having a barbecue." "You want to come over?" "What do you think?" " There's tons of food." " Just keep you hands off my dog." " No worries." "We only eat cats." "Really?" " No I'm kidding, you moron." "Come on you can be my special guest." "No, I'm fine right here." "Yeah..." "Son of a bitch." " Okay, so, what have you had to eat today?" "I had a piece of cake." "And a little beef jerky." "Come on over and get something to eat." "We've got beer too." "Well..." "I might as well drink with strangers, better than drink alone." "After all it is my birthday." "Really." "Happy birthday Wally" " Don't call me Wally." "Well, no Pabts among the beer." " As they say, "when in Hmong."" "What am I doing wrong?" "Every time I look at somebody they always look at the ground." "What's she saying?" " She said welcome to our home." "Oh no, she's not." " Yes, she didn't." "She hates me." "Yeah, she hates you." "Okay." "What?" "!" "What are all you fish heads looking at anyway?" "I think we should go to the other room." "Sorry." "All the people in this house are very traditional." "Number 1." "Never touch a Hmong person on the head, not even a child." "Hmong-people believe that the soul resides on the head." "So, don't do that." " Sounds dumb, but fine." "And a lot of Hmong people consider looking at someone in the eye to be very rude." "That's why they look away, when you look at them." " Anything else?" "Yeah, some Hmong people tend to smile or grin when they're yelled at." "It's a cultural thing." "It expresses amusement or insecurity, it's not that they're laughing at you or anything." "You people are nuts." "But the food.." "It looks good, smells good too." " Of course, its Hmong food." "Okay, can I come back for seconds?" "Here you go." " Thanks." "You mentioned about.." "Looking at people, he's been staring at me the whole evening." "That's Kor Khue." "He's the Lor family shaman." "And what's that, some sort of witch doctor or something?" " Something like that." "Booga." " You're funny, Wally." "Kor Khue's interested in you." "He heard what you did." "He would like to read you." "It would be rude not allow him this." "It's a great honor." "Yeah sure." "It's fine by me." " All right, take a seat." "He says that people don't respect you." "They don't even want to look at you." "He says the way you live, your food has no flavor." "You're worried about your life." "You made a mistake in your past life, like a mistake that you did that you're not satisfied with?" "He says, you have no happiness in your life." "It's like you're not at peace." "Are you all right?" "Yeah, I'm fine." "Fine, I'm fine." "God, I've got more in common with these gooks than I do with my own spoiled-rotten family." "Jesus Christ..." "Happy Birthday." "Are you ok?" "Yeah, I'm fine." "You were bleeding." " No, I bit my tongue." "It's nothing." "Why don't we get down and get some of that good gook food, I 'm starving." "Okay." "You ladies are wonderful." "That stuff is really good." "Come on you glutton!" " What's up?" "Let's go." " What for?" "To mingle." " We can mingle right here." "Come on." "You told me not to leave you alone." "Thank you very much." "I have to go now." "I'll be back." "Don't let anything go bad." "Well, well, look who's over there." " Yeah, the kid who stole my Gran Torino." "My brother Thao." " Tried to anyway, yeah, toad." "It was a little wobbly." "That should fix it." "What's this?" "Little rice liquor Here, try it." "All right." "My friends and I were just wondering what you're doing here." "That's a good question." "What am I doing here?" "My name is Walt." " Hey, Walt." "I am Youa." "Woo Yum?" " No Youa." "Youa, Ok." " So what do you do?" "I fix things." "Stuff like that." " Like what?" "I've just fixed that dryer over there." "I fixed my wife's friend's sink." "I took old aunt Mary to the doctor to get a prescription." "Fixed that one up." "I've even the fixed the door, what hadn't even broken yet." "You're funny" "I've been called a lot of things, but never funny." "Well, I gotta to take off." "Enjoy yourself." " Okay, Yum Yum." "Later." "Come on." "Relax, zipper head." "I'm not gonna shoot you." "I'd look down too if I was you." "You know, I knew you were a dipshit the first time I ever saw you." "You're worse with women than you are with stealing cars, Toad." "It's Thao." " What?" "It's not toad, it's Thao." "My name is Thao." "Well you've blown it with that girl who was over there." "Not that I give two shits about a Toad like you." "You don't what you're talking about." "You're wrong egg roll." "I know exactly what I'm talking about." "I may not be the most pleasant person to be around." "But I got the best woman who was ever on this planet to marry me." "I worked at it." "It was the best thing that ever happened to me, hands down." "But you... you know" "You let Click Clack, Ding Dong and Charlie Chan just walk out with Miss what's-her-face." "She likes you, you know, though I don't know why." "Who?" "Yum yum!" "You know that girl in the purple sweater." "She's been looking at you all day, stupid." "You mean, Youa?" " Yeah, Yum Yum." "Yeah." "Nice girl, very charming girl." "I've talked with her." "But you let her just walk right out." "With the three stooges." "And you know why?" "Cause you are big, fat pussy." "Well..." "I gotta go." "Good day." "Puss cake." "No, no more." "Okay, put them over there." "No." "No." "No more No more." "No more." "No more, please..." "Is that chicken dumpling thing you brought before?" "Alright." "Better than beef jerky, I'll tell you." "What's going on?" "What's going on?" "Thao is here to make amends." "He's here to work for you." "No, he isn't." "He's not gonna work for me." "My mom said he dishonored the family." "And now he has to work off his debt." "He starts tomorrow morning." " Oh not tomorrow, not any time." "I don't even want him on my property." "I thought we went over all that." "It is very important to my mum that you accept." "And it would be an insult if you refuse." "Why is this being put back on me, all of a sudden?" "He's the one who tried to steal my car... all of a sudden I'm the bad guy in this thing." "Look, my family is very traditional and would be very much upset if you don't let Thao repay." "If you doesn't want to do it, then let's just go." "Shut up!" "Yeah, shut up." "All right, tomorrow, tomorrow." "Thank you." "Jesus, Joseph and Mary." "These Hmong broads are like badgers." "Son of a bitch." "I never thought he'd show." "All right, what are you good at?" "Like what?" " That's what I'm asking." "You gonna work for me, I gotta know what you are good at." "I gotta know what you can do." " I don't know." "That's kind of half way what I expected you to say." "See that tree right there?" "You just go over there and count the birds." "You want me to count the birds?" " Yeah, you can count?" "All you slopes are supposed to be good at math, right?" "Yeah, I can count." " Good." "One, two..." "So, what do you have for me to do?" "You want me to watch paint dry, maybe even count the clouds that pass by?" "Don't get flip with me, boy." "I'm not the one who tried to steal, don't you forget that." "Go ahead." "I don't care if you insult me or say racist things." "Cause you know what?" "I'll take it." " Of course you'll take it." "Cause you have no teeth, you have no balls, kid." "Look, I'm stuck here." "Why don't you just find something useful for me to do." "Unlike you, I'm not useless." "And I maintain my own property." "You swamp rats, on the other hand, you just can't help it." "How long do I have you for?" "Toad, how long?" "Till next Friday." "All right." "Go get the ladder out of the garage." "When you're finished with that roof there," "You can take that gutter, and nail it back up." "I'm tired of looking at it for the last three years." "Yeah, you've said it, brother." "Hello." "Grandpa says he wants to know if you can have Thao clear out the big wasp nest under our porch?" "Wasp nest?" "Oh that's terrible." "I think we can handle that after lunch." "Lord all mighty, knock it off." "It's my last day." "What else do have for me to do?" "Take the day-off." "You've done enough." "Toad!" "Nothing, never mind." "Kowski?" "Kowski?" "Kowski?" "Mr. Kowalski?" "Good morning." "I looked over your paperwork and I think we should immediately start a full battery of tests." "I feel that this would be the best way to go about checking out all the issues that you've had." "Excuse me, what happened to Dr. Feldmen, my regular doctor?" "Dr. Feldmen retired three years ago." "I'm his replacement Dr. Chou." "It's grandpa Walt." " Pick it up." "You talk to him!" "Mitch." "I'm doing bills here." " You talk to him, he's your father." "Hey, Dad." "Hey, Mitch." "It's me your dad." "Yeah, I know." "What's up?" "Oh, nothing, nothing much really." "How is everything going?" "I'm fine, fine." "How about Karen and the kids?" "Fine, everybody is great." "Doing fine." "Good." "How about work?" "Busy." "Yeah, I suppose..." "In fact, um, speaking of busy," "I got a lot on my plate right now, so if it's not something pressing." "No, not at all." "Why don't you call me this weekend?" "Sure." "Ok, It was nice talking dad." "Thanks for calling." "Thanks." "This kid doesn't have a chance." "What do you know about faucets?" "I know a lot about them, boy." "Stand aside." "Jesus, for the love of Pete." " What?" "It must be a hundred degrees in here." "Just turn on the fan." "This place is falling apart." "Man, where did you get all this stuff?" "What are you talking about?" " All the tools and stuff." "Well, may come as surprise to a thief, but I bought this stuff." "Everything in here with my own money." "Yeah, yeah." "That's not what I meant." "I mean there's so much shit packed in here." "Yeah, well." "Every tool in here has a purpose." "Everything has a job to do." "They are all used when necessary." " Okay, so, what's that?" "It's a post-hole digger." " That" "Vice-grips." "Wire cutters, you know that's a trowel." "Come on!" "There's shears right there, and that's a saw." "That's a tack hammer." "You can't fool me kid." "Alright, what's on your mind." "It's just.." "I can't afford to buy all this stuff." "Well, I guess, even a bonehead like you, could understand... that a man acquires this over a period of 50 years." "Yeah, but..." " All right, look, here." "These three items right here, you can have this." "WD-40, vice grips and some duct tape." "Any man worth his salt, can do half of the household chores with just those three things." "Anything else you need you just borrow it, that's all." "Ok, cool." "Fuck me." " What's with that?" "Nothing." "What?" "Nothing, huh?" "I just saw you've coughed up blood." "That's not good." "You should really see a doctor." "Look.." "Those guys who were here, the other night... on my lawn, what about them?" " Just a gang." "A bunch of Hmong gang bangers." "I assumed that." "What were they doing here?" "They were going to take me away." "They were kind of pissed, that I blew my first initiation." "Yeah, well you are, you are a pussy." "You wanna hang out with guys like that." "What was your initiation supposed to be?" "My Gran Torino?" "Toad, you got a minute?" "Here it is." "Here's the deal." "I take the top, cause that's the heaviest." "I pull on that." "And you stand right back here, and you push." "And help me push it up each step." "Just like that." " Then, let me take the top." "No, no, I've got the top." "No, I'll take the top." "It looks pretty heavy." "Look I'm not crippled." "I've got the top." "If you don't let me take the top." "I ain't helping." "I'm gonna go back home." "Listen to me, zipper head." "No, you listen, old man!" "I'm here because you needed help." "So it's either top or I'm out of here." "All right, you take the top and I'll push." "Just don't let it slip out of your little girl hands and crush me." "Don't give me any ideas." "That thing weighs a ton." "Runs like a clock." "They don't make them like this anymore." "So what are you going to do with it?" " Sell it I guess." "How much?" " 60 bucks." "I'm tired of having this sit around down in the basement there." "Why?" "You looking for a freezer?" "Our downstairs one kind of died." " Okay, 25 bucks and it's yours." "25?" "You just said 60." "I know, but this will save me money putting an ad in the paper." "Come on, let haul it over your place." "Kind of ironic, huh?" " What?" "Thao washing a car they tried to steal from you." "Yeah, he misses one spot." "He is doing it all over again too." "It is nice of you to kind of look after him like this." "He doesn't have any real role models in his life." "Well, I'm not a role model." "But you're a good man, Wally." "I wish our father would have been more like you." " Don't go calling me Wally." "No, I'm serious." "He was really hard on us." "Really traditional... and really old school." "Well, I'm old school." "Yeah, but you're an American." "What's that supposed to mean?" "You like him, don't you?" " Are you kidding?" "He tried to steal my car." "And you spend time with him, teach him how to fix things." "Saved him from that fucked cousin of ours..." " Hey, watch your language lady." "And you're a good man" " I'm not a good man." "Get me another beer, dragon lady." "This one's empty." "You know, Hmong consider gardening to be a woman's work." "Yeah, that's probably why I see you in the garden over there all the time." "Besides we ain't in Hu-Mong." " Funny." "You know you should quit." "That's bad for you." "Yeah?" "So is being in a gang, dipshit." "Didn't you hear what I've just said?" "I saw you cough up blood." "You should quit." "What's that emblem supposed to mean anyway?" "Is it your ancient cub scout emblem?" "1st cavalry, I've had it since '51." "So what'd you wanna do with your life kid." "I was thinking about maybe sales." "Sales huh?" "My oldest son is in sales." "Does he do well?" "Oh yeah." "License to steal." "I worked in the Ford Factory for 50 years, and he's out selling Japanese cars." "You made cars?" "Yeah." "I put the steering column in this Gran Torino in 1972, right on the line." "You are old!" "So cool." "So you wanna be in sales?" "You thinking about going to school, maybe." "But school costs money." "Maybe you should get a job." "You can't just sit there and spread mulch in my garden the rest of your life." "Maybe you can just pay me." "Yeah, very funny." "What kind of job could I ever get?" " Yeah you're right, nobody would ever hire you." "Look I'm just kidding zip..." "I mean." "You can get a job." "You can get a job everywhere." "Like what?" "How about construction?" " Me?" "Yeah." " Construction?" "Yeah." " Do you have Alzheimer's or something?" "." "No, you can get a job in construction." "I know people in the trades." "Of course I have to make a little adjustment and man you up a little bit." "Man me up?" " Yeah." "And I think you ought to date Miss Yum Yum too." "Do you a little good." "Get the carbon off the valves." "Now you're just gonna learn, how guys talk." "You just listen to the way Martin and I banter back and forth." "You okay?" "You're ready?" " Sure." "Let's go in." "Perfect." "A pollack and a chink." "How you doing, Martin, you crazy Italian prick." "Walt, you cheap bastard, I should have known you'd come in," "I was having such a pleasant day." " What did you do?" "Cute some poor blind guy out of his money." "Gave him the wrong change?" " Who's the nip?" "He is a pussy kid from next door." "I'm just trying to man him up a little bit." "You see kid?" "That's how guys talk to one another." "They do?" "what, you have shit in your ears?" "Now go out and come back in and talk to him like a man." "Like a real man." "Come on." "Get your ass out of here." "Come on back now." "Sorry about this." "That's ok." "What's up you old Italian prick?" "Get out of my shop before I blow your head off you goddamn dick smoker." "Jesus Christ." "Shit." "Take it easy." "What the hell are you doing?" "Have you lost your mind?" "That's what you said." "That what you said men say." "You don't just come in and insult a man in his own shop." "You just don't do that." "What happens if you meet some stranger, you get the wrong one he's gonna blow your gook head right off." "What should I have said then?" " Why don't you start with Hi or Hello." "Yeah just come in and say: 'Sir, I'd like a haircut if you have the time'" "Yeah, be polite but don't kiss ass." "In fact you can talk about the construction job you just came from." "And bitch about your girl friend in your car." "Son of a bitch, I've just got the breaks fixed and those sons of the bitches really nailed me." "They screwed me right in the ass." "Yeah, don't swear at the guy." "Just talk about people who are not in the room." "You can bitch about your boss making you work overtime when it is bowling night." "Right, my old lady bitches for two goddamn hours about how.." "They don't take expired coupons at the grocery store." "And the minute I turn on the fucking game she starts crying how we never talk." "See now go out, come back and talk to him." "And it ain't rocket science for Christ's sake." "Yeah, but I don't have a job, a car, or a girlfriend." "Jesus, I should have blown his head off when I had the chance." "Maybe so, now OK, I want you to turn around and go outside and come back and don't talk about having no job, no car, no girlfriend, no future, no dick." "Ok, just turn around and go." "Excuse me sir, I need a hair cut if you ain't too busy." "You old Italian son of a bitch prick barber." "Boy, does my ass hurt from all the guys at my construction job." "Fuck me." "All set to go through with this, right?" " Yeah, yeah." "Don't yeah, yeah me." "Just say:" "Yes sir and I'll do my best." "Yes, I'll do my best." " Cause when I vouch for somebody, that means I give them my word." "I don't want you making me look bad." "No I'm good." "Totally into this." "Don't lay down either." "Just look 'em straight in the eye." "And a man can tell a lot by your handshake." "Here, put those in your back pocket." " Cool." "Don't blow this." "Hey, Kennedy, you drunken Irish goon." "How the hell are you?" "I'm shitty." "But who's gonna listen?" " Not me, that's for sure." "Help yourself there, Walt." "You dumb pollack." "Ok this is the kid, I was telling you about." "Thao, this is Tim Kennedy, he's the super on this job." "What we got here, Walt?" "Well he knows construction and he's a smart kid." "He'll do anything you need him for." "You sure?" " Yeah." "You speak English?" " Yes, sir." "Were you born here?" " You bet." "I see that Walt drove you here." "You got a vehicle?" "Not at the moment." "Taking a bus for now." " Bus?" "Jesus Christ." "You don't have a car?" "My head gasket cracked and the goddamned pricks at the shop wants to bend me over for $2100" "Oh please." "I just replaced the tranny in my Tahoe and the sons of bitches fucked me hard, just under $3200." "Goddamned thieves." "It ain't right." " You got that right." "Ok, um, Come on in on Monday and we'll find something for you to do." "Thanks, Mr. Kennedy." "Its Tim, and what's your name again?" " Thao." "T..., okay." "You owe me one, Walt." "Well I'll buy you a fruit cake for Christmas." "Fuck the fruit cake." "How about you just hand over them keys to that Gran Torino." "Why the hell does everybody want my car?" " Well, I'm not surprised." "Yeah, you don't know the half of it." "Alright, come on, zipper head." "Let the Mick stay here and play with himself." "What are we doing?" "What do you want to do?" "Carry your tools in a rice bag?" "Here." "You can use one of these... and you'll need one of these here." "I can't afford any of this." "I'll cover it." "You can pay me back on your first pay check." "Cool." " Here, we'll need something like that." "This is what I am looking for here, tool belt." "There you go." "Not to bitch, but won't I be needing some tools." "Tools I've got but I'm not going to lend you my tool belt." "You can pick up tools as you go." "I really appreciate all this." " Forget it." "No, I really do Thank you." "What's up homeboy, what you doing?" "What up man?" " What you got, punk?" "Just checking up on my little cousin." " Yeah man." "My little cousin..." "What's this?" "Where you come from man?" " I'm coming" "Home from work." "Not that you guys would know much about that." "So that's true, you got a job." " You can't just leave me alone?" "What?" "He's scared, huh?" "Who bought this shit for you?" "Your dad?" " What you guys want with me?" "Your dad bought this shit for you?" " Keep your hands off my stuff." "What's the fuck is that shit?" " What the fuck, you make me look bad?" "Keep your hands off my stuff!" "This massive my job man." "Give me that, that." " Hey come on, that's my stuff." "You wanna smoke man?" "Fuck it." "Let me go." "Give me that, man." "Give me that." "What's the phrase I'm looking for?" "Oh yeah, 'saving face'" "Hey, there." "Hey." "I gotta run." "Haven't seen you in a few days." "Where you've been?" "Been busy." "Busy, huh?" "What the hell happened to you?" " Don't worry about it." "What do you mean don't worry about it." "Look at your goddamn face." "I said don't worry about it." "Okay, it's not your problem." "When?" "Grabbed me a couple of days ago right after I got off work." "Cowards." "I did everything I can possibly do." "But they broke some of your tools." "I'll replace them." "Don't worry about the tools." "Where does your cousin lives?" "No, Walt." "I'll be ok." "I don't want you to do anything." " Right." "You need any extra tools, you just let me know." "Well, I could use a roofing hammer." " Good, go in my garage and get it." "This should be the last stop." "Here's the deal." "You stay away from Thao, understand?" "You're going to tell your friends to stay away from Tao." "If they don't listen make it sound like you don't want to see him anymore." "That's it, got it?" "I'll take that as yes." "Cause if I have to come back here it's gonna get fucking ugly." "Get out of my way." "How do you want your dog?" "I mean steak?" "Funny." "I told you we only eat cats." "Woah, I've never seen you like this before." "Well I'm feeling good." "I got beautiful women, great food." "And Thao." "And even Thao isn't bugging me." "You're having a good time, I see." " Yeah." "And it never ends." "What happened to your knuckles anyways?" "I slipped in the shower." "No big problem." "Look Yum-Yum if he doesn't ask you out, I'm gonna ask you out." "Youa, don't listen to him, Youa." "He's the white devil." "Yeah, I am." "I'm the white devil." "I'd love to Walt, but he beat you to it." "Really?" "No kidding!" "Dinner and a movie, or what?" "Yeah, they're taking a bus." "No, you can't take the bus." "Got to get you something more stylish than that." "Like what?" "Take a limo?" "How about that?" "The Gran Torino?" " Yeah." "You'd let me take the Gran Torino." " Yeah, I'd let you take the Gran Torino." "Really?" "Yeah, really." "Is everybody all right?" "Thao!" "It's all right." "Where's grandma?" "Where's Sue?" "Where's Sue?" " She went to our aunts." "To her aunts?" "Are you sure?" " Yeah." "Get on the phone and call her right now." "Sue..." "I knew, this was gonna happen." "What the hell am I doing here?" "Maybe some of her friends called and they changed plans." "Yeah." "At the war we just lost a lot of friends but you're kinda step for it." "You're geared to it." "Mr. Kowalski?" "Are you Ok?" "Yeah, I'm Ok." "Police finally left." "No one's talking." "One thing about Hmong, they keep their mouth shut." "Yeah, I've noticed that." "You know, Thao and Sue are never gonna find peace in this world as long as that gang's around." "Until they go away, you know forever." "What are you saying?" "You know what I am saying." "I took Sue to the hospital." "She's scared." "They're all scared.." "Yeah." "Thao especially." "He's sitting out there right now staring at your front door." "You know what he expects, Mr. Kowalski." "What would you do?" "What should Thao do?" "I know what I would do if I was you." "At least what you think you should do." " Really" "If I was Thao I guess I'd want vengeance." "I'd want to stand shoulder to shoulder with you and kill those guys." "And you?" " What would I do?" "I'd come over here and talk to you I guess." "I know you're close with these people, and this pisses me off too, Mr. Kowalski." "Wanna beer?" " I'd love one." "There's some in the chest, right over there behind you." "Damn all this." "It just isn't fair." " Nothing is fair, father." "So what you gonna do, Mr. Kowalski?" "Call me Walt." "All right." "What you gonna do, Walt?" "I don't know." "But I'll think of something." "Whatever it is, they won't have a chance." "What are you doing?" "Thinking." "Thinking?" "Thinking time is over." "Now it's time to knock the shit out of those pricks." "I know you don't want to hear this, but now is the time to stay calm." "Calm?" "You want me to be calm?" "We stay calm or else mistakes get made." "We have to step back from this thing." "No, don't let me down Walt." "Not you." "This is gonna end today." "Sit down." "I don't want to sit." " I said sit down!" "Now, listen to me." "We gotta plan this and plan it very carefully." "Can't make any mistakes." "You know I'm the right man for this job." "So I want to go home and stay calm, and come back here at 4 this afternoon." "And what needs to be done will be done." "I say we go now, right now." "And what?" "Kill that cousin of yours and the rest of those zips." "Mr. Tough Guy is out for blood all of the sudden." "You know nothing about it." "Now go home." "You stay calm, come back here at 4." "Alright?" "OK?" "OK." "I know, I know." "Give me a break, will ya, it's the first time I've ever smoked in the house." "Let a man enjoy himself, would you girl." "All finished. 10 dollars American." "I don't suppose your guinea hands are steady enough to do a straight shave?" " Straight shave?" "You've never asked for a straight shave ever." "I know, but I've always wondered about it." "That's unless you're too busy." "No, just let me heat up a towel." "Here." "Here's a 20." "Keep the change." "That's just in case you hit my jugular." "Yes sir, It gonna take about one hour." "We gonna shorten these sleeves little bit." "Then I fix the shoulder." "I never had a fitted suit before." "Yes, sir." "You look very good." "What can I do for you, Mr. Kowalski?" " I'm here for a confession." "Lord Jesus, what have you done?" " Nothing you just take it easy now." "What are you up to?" "Are you gonna give a confession or not?" "How long has it been since your last confession?" "Forever." "Bless me father, for I have sinned." "What are your sins, my son?" "In 1968, I kissed Betty Jablonski at the factory Christmas party." "Dorothy was in the other room with the other wives." "It just happened." "Yes, go on." "Well, I made a 900 dollar profit selling a boat and a motor." "I didn't pay the taxes, it's the same as stealing." "Yes, fine." "Lastly..." "I was never very close with my two sons." "I don't know them." "I didn't know how." "That's it?" " That's it." "It's bothered me most of my life." "Say 10 "Hail Maries" and 5 "Our fathers"." "God loves you and forgives you and absolves you of all your sins." "In the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit." "Thank you padre." "Are you going to retaliate for what happened to Sue." "I'm going over to that house today, Mr. Kowalski." "Is that so?" " It is." "And every other day until you see the folly of what you are planning." "Busy day, gotta go." " Go in peace." "Oh I am at peace." "Jesus Christ." "So which one's mine?" "You ever fired a weapon before?" " No" "Why don't you put that one down." "I got something I want to show you." "Come on." "What?" "In 1952 we were sent out to take out a chink machine gun nest." "Been shredding us up pretty good." "I was the only one who came back that day." "They had to give me a silver star." "Here it is." "Here I want you to have it." "Why?" "Because we all knew the dangers that night." "But we went anyway." "That's the way it might be tonight." "There is always a chance you don't come back." " The hell we won't." "We'll roll up in there and tear some ass." "Yeah, that's foolish." "That's the exact reaction they're waiting for." "Go ahead and close this up." "How many?" " How many what?" "How many men did you kill in Korea?" "13, maybe more." "What was it like to kill a man." "You don't want to know." "Now close it up." "Walt!" "Walt!" "What are you doing?" "What are you doing?" "Relax, you can't get out of there." "You let me out right now!" "Let me out." "You fucking let me out, or I'll fucking kill you." "Shut the fuck up!" "You want to know what it's like to kill a man?" "Well, it's goddamn awful, that's what it is." "The only thing worse is getting a medal of valor for killing some poor kids.." "That wanted to just give up that's all" "Yeah, some scared little gook just like you." "I shot him right in the face with that rifle you were holding in there a while ago." "Not a day goes by that I don't think about it." "You don't want that on your soul." "I got blood on my hands." "I'm soiled." "That's why I am going it alone tonight." "Walt you take me with you right now, let me out." "Look, you've come a long way." "I'm proud to say that you're my friend." "But you got your whole life ahead of you." "But me, I finish things." "That's what I do and I'm going it alone." "No, wait." "Walt!" "Walt!" "I need you to watch my dog." "Yeah I love you too." "Yeah, she's old too." "Her name is Daisy." "Hello." " It's Walt." "The keys to my house are under the ceramic turtle on the front porch." "Let yourself in." "Your brother is in the basement." "I gotta go." "Sorry father, we have to go." "I'm telling you if we're not here there will be bloodshed." "We've been here for hours." "We can't afford to anchor a unit down to one location." "I'm begging you to stay." "Just got a word from my sergeant, we're pulling the plug." "I'm staying." "No you aren't." "We have specific orders you came with us, you're leaving with us." "Watch your head." "Sue, over here, over here." "Unlock this right now." "He left without me." "He went to Smokie without me." "Thao!" "Any swamp rats in there." "I didn't think your ass would have came." " Shut up, gook." "I got nothing to say to you, shrimp dick, lizard like you." "Yeah, yeah." "You go ahead watch out for your boyfriend." "Cause it was either he or you or someone who raped one of their own family." "You own blood, for Christ sake." "Now go ahead and pull those pistols, like miniature cowboys." "Go ahead." "So where's Thao at?" "That pussy motherfucker gonna come?" "Don't worry about Thao." "Thao's got not one second for you." "Says who?" "You?" "What the fuck you gonna do, old man?" "What are you gonna do?" "You bitch." "Kind of jumpy, aren't we?" " Shut the fuck up." "You shut the fuck up!" "Got a light?" " What the fuck?" "No." "Me.." "I've got a light..." "'Hail Mary, full of grace..'" "Yes, sergeant." "What happened?" " You need to step back." "He's a friend of mine." " I said step back." "Hey, did you hear him." "Step back." "What happened?" " Hey, step back." "He's my friend." "Officer Chang!" "get those people back." " Hey, step back now, Ok." "Get the fuck out of here!" "Walt Kowalski once said to me that I didn't know anything about life or death." "Because I was an overeducated, 27-year-old virgin who held the hands of superstitious old women and promised them eternity." "Walt definitely had no problem calling it like he saw it." "But he was right." "I knew really nothing about life or death, until I got to know Walt." "And boy did I learn." "And I want to leave my house to the church because Dorothy would've liked it  now which brings us to our last item." "And again please excuse the language." "In Mr. Kowalski's will, I'm simply reading the way it was written." "And I'd like to leave my 1972 Gran Torino to..." "My friend..." "Thao Van Lor." "Under the condition that you don't chop top the roof like one of those beaners, don't paint any idiotic flames on it like some white-trash hillbilly, and don't put a big gay spoiler on the rear end" "like you see on all the other zipper heads' cars." "It just looks like hell." "If you can refrain from doing any of that, it's yours."