Movie Review: Milk

Sean Penn shines in this bio pic by Shelley Howard


Director Gus Van Sant has created one of the year’s most moving films with Milk, the important story of the rise and eventual assassination of Harvey Milk, the nation’s first openly gay elected political official.  The message and the struggles of this man uncannily parallel recent political events.   In this context, Milk is Obama, Anita Bryant is Sarah Palin, and Prop 6 is Prop 8.

Give an oscar nomination today to Sean Penn who gives an amazing performance as the central character....why wait?   He is totally convincing as you watch him narrate the story of his journey into a tape recorder.   Penn captures the humor, sadness, and complete devotion that Milk had to his cause.  His courage is unwavering, and in every way, you believe this is a real person who has dared to dream.  The persecution of gays was a way of life back in the 70’s, and in many ways, not that much has changed.

In 1970, Milk migrated to the Castro District in San Francisco with his partner, Scott Smith played by James Franco.  He opens a camera shop, and soon becomes a voice for the rights of his sexual orientation.   He is a natural, and uses his favorite phrase “My name is Harvey Milk, and I want to recruit you” to build a political movement.   He runs for local office unsuccessfully three times, until his support grows, and he is elected to the Office of City Supervisor in 1977.   Throughout Harvey Milk’s campaigns, he speaks of hope, and civil rights for all.  His stirring and charismatic speeches energize his base, and we watch as an oppressed minority gains acceptance and power.  Milk becomes instrumental in convincing his own to accept their orientation, be open and proud of it.

A former beauty queen, Anita Bryant has started a political movement that wants to remove gays from teaching positions, and deny them basic civil rights.   It is put forth on the ballet in California as Prop 6.   She calls it the will of God, and spreads her intolerance thru the media...remind you of anyone?  Milk proposes a gay rights ordinance in San Francisco, which passes, and Prop 6 is eventually defeated.   But he has angered a fellow councilman, Dan White, adeptly played by Josh Brolin, an anger that leads to tragic consequences.  White is a family man, who we grow to believe is in the closet.   He drinks, eats junk food, becomes unbalanced, and eventually shoots Milk and Mayor George Moscone.

With prop 8 recently passed into law, which takes away the right for gays to marry in California, you have to wonder, will the Hollywood community give Milk multiple oscars to focus attention on the issue?

 



Chicago native Shelley Howard has been called the “Hunter S. Thompson of Facebook status updates”   He makes Rock and Roll graphics by day, and can be found in the Viagra Triangle by night spouting politics and gonzo philosophy.

 

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