Milk

Milk (2008)
Directed by Gus Van Sant
Length: 128 minutes
Rated R for language, some sexual content, and brief violence



Let me preface this review by saying that my intentions are not to preach to anyone concerning their opinions on homosexuality. That being said, Milk is one of those powerful movies that incites the need to riot, to protest, to fight for a cause. In the shadows of the recent passing of Proposition 8 in California, effectively banning gay marriage, the message and story of Harvey Milk is more important and poignant than ever. Though you may not support gay rights, the persecution, torment, and inequality represented throughout Milk should cause you to stop and consider the way the LGBT community as a whole is treated. Much is made about the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s and the great leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; but little attention or concern is given to the gay community and their struggles for equal rights.

Quite simply, Milk is the story of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay politician in America who spearheaded the gay rights movement specifically in California, and in turn created a movement throughout the United States. Milk was tragically assassinated by fellow county supervisor Dan White, who blamed Harvey for blocking his reinstatement to his position in the San Francisco city government. There's nothing unpredictable about Milk; you know that he will die, how, and when. Yet that's the beauty of Milk - a historical recount of a remarkable man and the powerful love and effect he had on the gay community not only in San Francisco but in other parts of the country as well.

What really makes Milk incredible is the amazing cast, starting with 2008's Best Actor, Sean Penn (Tree of Life, Mystic River). The man who has evolved from the lovable surfer stoner in Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) to the tragically, mentally challenged father in I Am Sam (2001), to now the performance of a lifetime. I've heard lots of reviewers saying that they don't know how Sean Penn fooled people into thinking he was straight for so many years; I have to say they have a point. Penn IS Harvey Milk. It would have been easy for most actors to simply play the stereotypical gay man - the accent, the hand gestures, etc. While Penn does perfect these aspects of his characters, it is the passion that he brings to Milk that makes his performance believable. It's one thing to kiss another male actor and simply be acting; it's another thing entirely to kiss that same person and sell the kiss as one of passion, love, and earnestness. Penn's portrayal of Harvey Milk is one for the ages.

The supporting cast is just as good as Penn. Initially, I was not that impressed with Josh Brolin's performance. As Dan White, the assassin of Milk, Brolin (W., No Country for Old Men), does a decent job, but I questioned his nomination for Best Supporting Actor. After discussing the movie with a friend, I really came to enjoy the nuances of Brolin's performance. Milk could have easily vilified White and his actions; instead, Brolin is able to show the tortured soul of a man who struggled to work with an openly gay politician, no matter how much Harvey tried to reach out to White. James Franco (Pineapple Express) also proved his serious acting chops with his performance. As Scott Smith, Harvey's lover for most of the movie, you really see the love between the couple. You truly feel like this is a couple that deserves to be together; dare I say it, they're cute together. I only hope that one day I'm lucky enough to have a relationship as beautiful as the one Harvey and Scott enjoyed.

I rarely cry during movies, but Milk caused me to tear up at times. It truly is shocking to see the terrible way people did, and for that matter still, treat the LGBT community. I am a heterosexual white male, and I am extremely lucky to never have had to face the persecution that any minority has. I literally laughed out loud at times concerning the ridiculous reasons people raise for why homosexuals should not have equal rights. It truly disturbs me that a gay man or woman still is not treated with the same level of protection under the Constitution that any other straight person is. I don't expect one movie to change the way people believe; but perhaps Gus Van Sant's excellent film can make people pause for a moment and consider treating all people with equality and respect, regardless of sexual orientation. Though I don't feel that Milk was the best movie of 2008, I am shocked and outraged that it did not win over the highly overrated Slumdog Millionaire. Now, more than ever, Milk and its call for equality need to be heard.

Final Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Favorite Quote:
Scott Smith: "Christ, Harvey, I thought you were a Republican!"


Oscar Winners:
Best Actor in a Leading Role-Sean Penn
Best Original Screenplay

Oscar Nominations:
Best Achievement in Costume Design
Best Achievement in Directing-Gus Van Sant
Best Achievement in Editing
Best Original Score
Best Motion Picture
Best Supporting Actor-Josh Brolin