Walt Kowalski, a recently widowed Korean War veteran, grapples with the changing landscape of his once familiar Detroit neighborhood, now densely populated by Hmong immigrants. Struggling with his own prejudices and the alienation from his family, he maintains a gruff exterior, taking particular pride in his well-maintained 1972 Gran Torino. His life is a routine of fixing things around the house, drinking beer, and visiting his wife's grave, maintaining a semblance of the world he once knew, all the while harboring a deep-seated anger and sorrow stemming from his past and the cultural shifts in his community.

An unexpected turn of events forces Walt into a reluctant relationship with his next-door neighbors, the Hmong Vang Lor family, particularly with the teenage boy, Thao, who attempts to steal Walt's prized Gran Torino as a gang initiation rite. Despite his initial resentment, Walt finds himself standing up for Thao and his family against local gang pressures, marking the beginning of an unlikely bond. Through this relationship, Walt is confronted with the realities of the modern world and begins a journey of self-reflection, challenging his prejudices and opening his life to new connections beyond the narrow confines of his previous existence.