‘Gran Torino’ – Old dog, new tricks

If “Changeling” fares better than “Gran Torino” on Oscar night Clint Eastwood better bring Dirty Harry back to “correct” the discrepancy.

“Changeling” entered award season as a heavy favorite – Oscar winning star (Angelina Jolie)? Check. Oh, so serious period drama trappings? Check.

But the understated “Gran Torino” deserves the accolades.

Eastwood directs himself as Walt, a casually racist veteran who just buried his bride. He’s a simple man who just wants to be left alone to sip his beer and tend to his property.

His transitioning neighborhood won’t allow that.

His kindly Hmong neighbors keep visiting to offer goodies or just be friendly. And some local toughs have targeted Walt’s wheels — the titular Torino — as their next target.

Walt may be deeply flawed, but he’s still capable of changing, and growing, to accommodate the passage of time. It’s perhaps Eastwood’s message to his peers, and anyone north of 70. It’s not too late.

Eastwood’s early screen work drew guffaws from sober film critics, but he continues to improve as an actor even as he nears his 80th birthday (He’s 78). His work here could be the best of his legendary career.

Walt is an anachronism, but one whose values still have a place in modern society. They just need some tinkering, and his relationships with his new neighbors provide just the right tuneup. What might sound clunky or conventional plays out beautifully on screen.

“Gran Torino” hits a few roadblocks all the same. Did the film really need to underscore Walt’s heroism with those military-style drum beats? And Walt’s repeated use of ethnic slurs feels contrived in certain sequences.

Eastwood has hinted “Gran Torino” will mark his last on-screen effort, only to later back track on such talk. It would be hard to imagine a better swan song vehicle.