It has been a long journey for Clint Eastwood. Acting for more than 50 years and directing since the early ’70s, Eastwood’s latest film, Gran Torino (Warner Bros.), has widely been reported to be the legend’s last acting effort, and he makes the most of it.

Eastwood, now 78, directs himself as disgruntled Korean War veteran Walt Kowalski, who lives in an increasingly violent neighborhood in Detroit. With his wife’s recent death, Kowalski, a retiree, spends most of his time sitting on his porch drinking with his beloved dog, Daisy. Though he is old, he mantains his home, and spends time cleaning his most precious possession, a 1972 Gran Torino in mint condition.

Walt’s world is undergoing dramatic changes. After his wife’s funeral, Walt has to deal with his estranged son, Mitch (Brian Haley), who, along with the rest of the family uses him for favors and wants to put him in a nursing home. He also deflects a young priest, Father Janovich (Christopher Carley), who was close to Walt’s wife in her final days and wants Walt to attend confession. All the while Walt, a staunch racist, feels threatened by the increased amounts of Asians moving into his neighborhood.

After inadvertently saving Thao (Bee Vang), the son of one of these new neighbors, from his cousin’s rowdy gang, Thao’s older sister Sue (Ahney Her) invites Walt over for food and drinks. Walt is constantly pestered by Sue, who wants him to open up and accept her and her family. Eventually, Walt puts Thao to work as payment for trying to steal his prized Gran Torino, and Walt grows close to both Thao and Sue, vowing to find a way to stop the gang that harasses them and their family.

Eastwood is, of course, the strongest part of the film. His portrayal of Walt is compelling and, often, hilarious. Walt eventually begins to thaw and gradually comes to accept his neighbors, who just might be more kindred in spirit to him than his own family. At 78, he delivers a performance that is believable, combining his action persona (from films such as Dirty Harry) with the more dramatic side of him seen in many of his more recent films like Million Dollar Baby.

Most of the other cast is made up of relatively unknown actors as well as first time actors of Hmong heritage (an Asian ethnic group) who seem to have been cast more for their ancestry than their acting ability. Her does fairly well as Sue, but Vang’s acting is frequently over-the-top and, in certain scenes, almost laughably bad. Thankfully, this rarely takes away from the film and its message.

Gran Torino is a sentimental movie that is cliché at times but much more powerful than other recent films of its kind. It delivers a message that is as relevant as it is emotional. It combines elements of drama, action and comedy to provide a crowd-pleasing film. It shows that Eastwood is as skilled behind the camera as he is in front of it.