10) Walt Kowalski (Gran Torino)
We all know the hilarious senior citizen stereotype depicting a racist old grandparent sitting outside on their porch with a beer, yelling at children who trespass on their property. The cliched picture is so vivid and Clint Eastwood was able to create an entire film around such a character named Walt Kowalski – a beer swilling Korean War veteran with a salty mouth and dope ride.
While Walt’s story is sweet, gritty, and emotional, showing one old man’s redemptive journey through cultural enlightenment, it’s Walt’s bottomless cooler of Pabst Blue Ribbon that landed this racial-slur machine a deserving slot here. Sure, hipsters may be claiming Pabst’s iconic lager as part of their signature culture, as every Brooklyn bar I stumble into has Pabst Blue Ribbon on tap, but to Walt this selection is something much more. No, Clint Eastwood doesn’t wear skinny jeans and beanies in Gran Torino, but instead, the Pabst represents his refusal to let go of the past.
Opening in 1844, Pabst has been quenching thirsts and starting bar fights since before many can remember, but for Walt the taste brings him back to Korean War times, a theme that resonates through Gran Torino. The Pabst is his oldest friend, the one bit of nostalgia that always understands him and gives him the comfort he needs. So much can be said simply by the appearance of this red, white and blue beer can – and I’m not talking about Budweiser’s Ameri-can, either.
