Milk

Review by Matthew Rodgers

It’s quite shocking that something as contemporary as the assassination of Harvey Milk is not common knowledge amongst a generation as susceptible to equality as ours. This is all about to change with Gus Van Sant’s most accomplished and linear movie to date, and one that is brimming with superlative laden performances from everyone involved.

Using flashbacks prompted by a tape recorded statement, Milk tells the story of California’s first openly gay elected official, Harvey Milk (Sean Penn), and his arrival in San Francisco, from what elevated him to become a prominent gay rights activist, to his continued struggle to overcome prejudice on his way to office, and ultimately tragedy, it’s a powerful story that deserves a voice.

Said voice is wonderfully realised by Penn as the titular Milk, it’s a role that screams awards without any flamboyance or OTT acting, Penn’s Milk is a thoroughly likeable and flawed central character on which to hang an issues movie because he is understated and wholly believable. Sacrificing the personal for the cause is an age-old adage in movies but with the added resonance of the true story factor, its all the more powerful. He is a man that Penn has embodied to inspire and motivate in the afterlife, and Milk makes sure that he commands your attention to do just that.

The rest of the cast also deliver career making turns; what a year for James Franco? After stealing the otherwise underwhelming Pineapple Express this sees him elevated to genuine movie talent with an empathically passionate turn as Milk’s boyfriend, Scott Smith. Emile Hirsch continues to operate under the mainstream radar, all swagger and sass as a smart-mouthed assistant, and in any other movie he would garner all the accolades. And of course there’s Josh Brolin as disgruntled city supervisor, Dan White, whose own frustrations combust against Milk’s cavalier ambitions to tragic effect, it’s another honest and conflicted performance, credit to actor and screenplay that he is more rounded than simply a bigoted bad guy.

Schizophrenically successful director Van Sant also returns to form, this affectionately produced biopic coming from the same man that churned out Paranoid Park, the lamentable Gerry, and that shot-for-shot Psycho remake. It’s relatively simple chronological construction is a world away from the dreary indulgence of some of his past pieces. When his movies have an impassioned core they tend to succeed – Elephant, My Own Private Idaho, and Good Will Hunting – now you can add Milk to that list.