Milk

This newest film from Gus Van Sant tells about the political uprising and assassination of the country's first openly gay elected official, Harvey Milk.

As a rarity for this blog, this is a review of a film IN THEATRES NOW!

Starring Sean Penn as Milk and Josh Brolin as Dan White, released 2008.

Review by CINEMAGIRL:

"Milk" starts out with a bang and hooks the audience immediately. Even though we know the outcome of this historical tale, Van Sant tries his best to build the suspense leading up to the assassination of the lead character.

Harvey Milk was a community leader from a gay neighborhood in San Francisco who tirelessly ran for office until he was finally elected to serve on City Council in 1978. The gay community rallied behind him, as did his union allies and senior citizens.

Milk received death threats and harassing letters from people across the country. However, he did not predict that his open gayness and platform for gay issues - particularly defeating a proposition that would've forced gay teachers out of their jobs - would make him the target of a fellow city councilman.

Van Sant retells the story of Milk starting with the incredibly talented Sean Penn seated at his kitchen table recording a tape only to be listened to in the event of his assassination. We return to this safe location periodically throughout the action of the film.

Lots of historic film footage, from newscasts and beyond, was used to recreate The Castro (Milk's San Fran 'hood), the people, and the times. I find archival footage particularly effective in biopics and historical films. It really made an impact here, especially at the end of the film when we see the crowd of thousands lining the streets for a candlelight vigil in Milk's memory.

Penn pulls off an amazing performance and is really the best part of the film. He adopted Milk's accent and his effeminate gestures. Milk's relationships with two young men - much younger men - could have been displayed as purely sexual or callous in the hands of another actor, but Penn played Milk with constant sensitivity and never made him seem like a creepy older man with a 20-something boyfriend. Penn is nominated for a Golden Globe this year for this role.

Other highlights are the motley cast (mostly unknowns) assembled to portray the gay youth that served as Milk's campaign advisers and most dedicated volunteers.

For all its merits, "Milk" does not seem like a typical Van Sant film (Elephant, Drugstore Cowboy, Good Will Hunting) which some may consider a good thing, while other viewers will be disappointed. This film is more polished and mainstream in feeling and appearance, perhaps as to not distract the viewer from its biographical nature.

I highly recommend seeing it in the theatre while you can. I went on a weeknight and the theatre was packed. The audience actually applauded after the show.

LOOK: 7
ACTING: 9
STORY: 8

OVERALL: 8