Gran Torino, directed by Clint Eastwood (Ashlyn)

There is no tagline for this title, and no background on the front cover of the DVD case. The back cover reveals a very bare-bones version of the plot. Nobody even bothered to showcase a line from a newspaper/internet article about the actual movie. 

Basically, the box fails to tell you that this movie is EFFING AWESOME. Clint Eastwood says this will be his last role as an actor, and if you watch the movie, you will understand why: how could he possibly top this? 

The film is also very well directed by the same Mr Eastwood. The script is flawless- though parents must be warned that not a single 5 minute clip is appropriate for children- and the Hmong actors, most of whom have never been in a movie, did a great job adlibbing and switching between Hmong and English. 

In short, I was more than impressed by this film, and by everyone involved. If you've been avoiding this one because it looks like a western, do not fret; this is everything you've been looking for in a drama. I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a film that is never cheesy and often gritty, but also not a downer, or to anyone who occasionally thinks racism is just plain funny.