My colleague Dan Mitchinson wanted to know what I thought of the Clint Eastwood film “Gran Torino.” Here is what I told him:

There are things I like. And things I don’t.

What I like is Eastwood’s continued interest in worlds that his characters don’t immediately connect with or even understand. Even back in his Dirty Harry days, he so often paired himself with a black or Mexican-American partner. Sometimes even a woman. And more often than not he made his partners the smarter half of the pairing.

And I like his iconic stature on the big screen. There really haven’t been that many stars who can hold our attention the way Eastwood can, even at age 78.

What I dislike is the grudging admiration he maintains for racist insults and an idea of what a man is that went out with suspenders. You’re right: This is Dirty Harry as a codger. His kids and grandkids are horrors, yes, but as a disaffected parent doesn’t he bear some of the responsibility for that? And as my wife pointed out, yes, he does – finally – admit that much to the priest. But his kids never hear it. That’s a great legacy he leaves them.

And, too, the story doesn’t hold up. The script depends too much on easy answers. NOTE: SPOILER WARNING. It’s not like a smart lawyer won’t be able to mount a case of justified homicide for those Hmong gangbangers. And that’s assuming, big assumption here, that anyone ever really will be prepared to testify against them.

So I have mixed feelings. Overall, I guess I was disappointed.

Below: Clint Eastwood looms large in “Gran Torino.”

Associated Press photo