Review of Milk? (2012) by Mark S — 16 Feb 2013

"Milk" is a biopic of Harvey Milk (Sean Penn), a gay rights activist who became the first openly gay elected official in California. Milk's life has been told before in the documentary "The Life and Times of Harvey Milk" but this is the first Hollywood feature on the subject.

Director Gus Van Sant avoids the conventional route of telling the entire life story of Harvey Milk but focuses on the part where he became involved in political activism and led a movement for gay rights.

Milk arrives in San Francisco and opens a store in the Castro district, a gay neighborhood, before he is advised to run for office. After failed early attempts, he is elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.

The major political event in "Milk" centers on the 1978 ballot initiative to ban homosexuals from employment in public schools. Milk and his supporters campaign passionately for the issue and Milk learns the game of political maneuvering to help him succeed.

But his success creates resentments, especially with conservative Dan White (Josh Brolin) that lead to his assassination. Sean Penn is superb as Milk. He flashes a quick smile and is forceful when campaigning in front of large crowds.

Penn has nice quiet moments too as when he confronts his supporters to come out to family and friends. Millk is an opportunist and we see how his personal relationships suffer. Gus Van Sant doesn't show him to be a saint.

Brolin is quietly effective at showing White's resentments bubbling beneath the surface ready to explode. The filmmakers do a tremendous job at showing the ability of one man to mobilize a community into a movement.

Whatever one's feelings are towards the issues raised, "Milk" invites empathy for the activists without demonizing the opposition. Diego Luna, Emile Hirsch, and James Franco all inhabit their roles completely.

Won Oscars for Best Actor (Penn) and Original Screenplay (Dustin Lance Black).