Dear Mr. Eastwood

Dear Mr. Eastwood:

I wanted to write you a letter but don't know where to send it. And I know you don't read my blog but I wanted to put this out there anyway because there is something I need to tell you.

I just watched Gran Torino. Again. I can't count how many times – maybe five or six by now. Doesn't matter, though. You make me cry every time. Not just cry, either, but big sloppy, messy tears.

At least I'm improving. The first time I saw it I lost my breath, cried all night and cried the next day.

It is probably one of the best movies ever made.

No, not probably. It is.

It's not just your superb acting, directing and, yes, singing that grabs me. It's the message you send. A message that even the most bad-assed Archie Bunkers can come around. It's Walt Kowalski's relationship with Thao and Sue that turns this movie from good to excellent.

I put it on for my two young boys to watch, thinking it was a good lesson for them about racism. (I told them to ignore the swearing and warned them, just because Walt says it doesn't mean you can.) 

They watched the whole movie, rooted to the spot. No squiggling like you expect from an eight-year-old and an 11-year-old. When it was over, they bawled ... like babies. Like the babies they still are, really.

A few years later they still say it's the best movie they've ever seen.

I'd have to agree.

I'm home sick with a cold and so I watched Gran Torino on the movie channel this morning. 

When it was over, and the tears were still wet on my cheeks, I googled it to find out how many Academy Awards your movie had won. (I can't remember what I had for supper last night, never mind an awards show a couple years back.)

I was shocked when I found out it was totally ignored.

I just want to say that you were robbed. Gran Torino should have won Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Actress and, if there was such a category, Best Dog. (I love Daisy.) Plus whatever else Oscar was handing out that year. This movie should have won everything.

What did win that year? Oh yeah, Slumdog Millionaire. Yup, I saw it. It was good. But I didn't cry. And I've only seen it once. It didn't have that much of an impact on me.

Your movie, though, man ... I talked about it at work for weeks. I'm still talking about it.

Anyway, Mr. Eastwood, I just wanted to lodge a complaint that your movie wasn't honoured like it should have been. And I'm so, so sorry.

You're probably one of Hollywood's greatest actors and directors. You're an icon. 

And I'll never stop admiring your work. You're not Unforgiven. You're Unforgettable.

Sincerely,

Cathy.