How well does Gran Torino portray Highland Park? (Detroit, Royal Oak: crimes, townhouse)

[and the]

If he built F-150's it was probably at the Rouge Plant. Much more movie character than Wayne Assembly.

[Cheeto]

I just saw the movie Gran torino, and though I liked it, I can't get past the geographical errors. The hmong people that live in Detroit live along Schoenner and Gratiot, between six and eight mile, and now across eight mile in south Warren too. I lived in this area for many years, and you'd be surprised how many people don't know that this segment of the population even exsists. Back in the 90's I witnessed two minivans full of hmong gangbangers attack a big biker dude in his front yard just north of eight mile, I also lived two blocks away from a Laotion grocery store near seven mile and Schoenner that was always busy. The hmongs exsist in Detroit, but nowhere near Highland Park or Charlevoix Street. It seems to me that the people spending money to make this film should have taken a few minutes to research the proper setting for the film to take place. Instead they threw out generic images of Detroit as if to say that the city is the same all over.

[and the]

I don't think the movie was supposed to be set anywhere specific. Just "anytown big city USA". If it was supposed to be Detroit or Highland Park, there would have been more references to the city other than the "Highland Park" on the police cars at the end.

[Vicman]

Originally Posted by and the

I don't think the movie was supposed to be set anywhere specific. Just "anytown big city USA". If it was supposed to be Detroit or Highland Park, there would have been more references to the city other than the "Highland Park" on the police cars at the end.

The final scene of Walt getting shot was in Highland Park, but the other parts of the movie could have involved other neighborhoods in Detroit or elsewhere.

[Tee76]

Originally Posted by darell_2002

Highland park is not ghetto, i used to live there, my grandmother lives across the street from the house clint was in. The city is full of different people, rich, wealthy, poor, and disadvantaged. The Police department is new and cleaning the city up. The Blk Officer that said "Get them the **** out of here" at the end is Highland Parks real Chief of police.

Governors, mayors and judges live in highland park. The city is known for its historical homes. 99percent of the police in the movie are REAL sworn in Police officers in the city of Highland Park.

You're completely wrong, Highland Park is one big crumbling Ghetto, i work there and it seems to be getting worse by the day.Nothing but burned down or abandoned houses, it's not filled with different people either.No Mayor's or Judges or whatever live there either.They may live on the bordering cities or farther up woodward.

The median income in the city is only around $17,000

[and the]

The final scene of Walt getting shot was in Highland Park, but the other parts of the movie could have involved other neighborhoods in Detroit or elsewhere.

I bet half the states in the country have a "Highland Park" city or village or neighborhood. Like the Simpsons being in "Springfield". If they wanted you to think it was in Detroit or Highland Park, there would have been a lot more local references. I think it was supposed to be "Anytown" USA.

[Vicman]

Originally Posted by and the

I bet half the states in the country have a "Highland Park" city or village or neighborhood. Like the Simpsons being in "Springfield". If they wanted you to think it was in Detroit or Highland Park, there would have been a lot more local references. I think it was supposed to be "Anytown" USA.

The police cars were marked "Highland Park," so it would have to be a municipality.

The following states have municipalities called "Highland Park":
* Florida
* Illinois
* Michigan
* New Jersey
* Pennsylvania
* Texas

Of the states, only Michigan has a significant number of Hmong.

[gramma_arlene]

When I last visited Highland Park, it looked like a war zone...not anything like the houses in the movie, so I didn't recognize the neighborhood. We owned and moved into a house on Sturtevant in 1929. I moved in 1950 to Calif. but, I remember when the first black family moved into a house on our street. They never had a chance. "For Sale" signs went up on both sides of the new family and eventually up and down the street. I'm 81 now, enjoyed the movie, but actually thought it might have been filmed in Hamtramck. I did recognize the Grosse Pte Shores, though!

[ojkatk]

I'm from San Antonio. Raised on the south side where all the Mexicans are but where I'm from and the many cities and states I've visited. I see Asian people everywhere but never knew the neighborhoods they lived in. Biloxi, MS is a trip. Yes, in LAX, NYC, Chicago,Detroit I'm aware these areas are not hard to find but maybe it was just my ignorance that I never knew where these communities are. I always thought it was just that they are a private people. I'd like to think there are not too many Walt Kowalski's in the world before he was changed. I come from a familia of mexican's that are prejudice of mexicans. And nothing I say will change my parents minds. Thats real. I can't believe some of the words that come out of their mouths!!!! Any schoolin done about the Hmong people was a lesson more than I've ever had. It's a big world and lots to learn. I loved Gran Torino and if you know anything about Clint Eastwood you know he is not racist. He's a talented actor and musician who loves jazz and he's letting us know that all of his generation does not follow the racist upbringing that many of us had. I went to a predominantly hispanic high school that was a predominantly caucasian high school when my mom, uncles and aunts attended. There are a few caucasians in my barrio now but can tell you they are scarce. " white flight"

[ojkatk]

Well, I know one thing. There are no basements in Tx. I'm sure its been done but the rock in the earth here makes it difficult so I knew the movie had to be somewhere north of here.