Milk

Milk is a film whose story is familiar and iconic, one that has been told in a groundbreaking documentary and one whose audience may have lived through its events. Gus Van Sant’s depiction of Harvey Milk manages to transcend all these factors and is a testament to the film’s history.

Harvey Milk (played by an outstanding Sean Penn) was the first openly gay man elected into public office in the US. The film opens using the black and white footage taken in San Francisco at the time of Milk’s campaign, juxtaposed against Milk celebrating his 40th birthday. The film details Milk’s radical gay activism and portrays him as a passionate politician. With the help of lover, Scott (James Franco), as his campaign manager, victory comes on the same day as Dan White (Josh Brolin) wins the city’s conservative district. The film outlines Milk’s political relationship with White and the 1978 fight that empowers and strengthens the gay community that provides a pivotal turn in the film.

Dan White is a complex man, struggling against Milk’s charisma and new power, and Brolin brilliantly portrays a man who is totally at a loss, both politically and personally. Sean Penn is magnificent; bristling with fire and flamboyance and capturing “gay” perfectly, never indulging in stereotypes. The gay content is somewhat chaste, but the fire that burns on the political stage makes up for this.

Not only is this a brilliant film, it is also one that leaves you feeling humbled, inspired and appreciating those people in history who made happen that which we take for granted. Oscar-worthy performances throughout, this is not to be missed.

Victoria Galloway