[Duane]

Originally Posted by MikeO

One of the best movies I have seen in a long time. In my mind it was not so much about violence as it is about changing times and how different generations see the world in different ways. Eastwood's character draws his morality, for better and worse, from the past. Racist views towards other cultures on one hand but also representative of our hard-working parents (or grandparents) who built the US after the Second World War into one of the greatest countries on earth. He comes from the working class (auto worker) and spent fifty years working to build his idea of a good life. He is having a difficult time dealing with a generation that does not seem to share the same values as his own.

His children and grandchildren, while not major characters in the film, are definitely much more from today's world. On the one hand they find his racist views offensive and point out he is still "living in the 50s" , but they are also a generation of the "entitled" who really did not have to struggle for anything in life. High-paying jobs, fancy foreign cars, and kids who seem to have little respect for their elders.

Added to the mix is a family of immigrants who live next door to Eastwood who in the end seem to share much more of his values than his own family.

While the plot of the movie revolves somewhat around gangs in the inner city, this movie is much more than a Clint Eastwood kick ass movie. It is a simple movie that seems to be both a criticism of modern life but at the same time giving some hope that things aren't always as bad as we think.

Excellent synopsis.