A&E Review: ‘Milk’

February 18, 2009
By Chris Ray
A&E Writer

9 out of 10 – See it in the theaters

“A homosexual with power... that's scary” - Harvey Milk

Milk is a story that knows its place in modern history. The story itself took place in the ‘70s but the parallels to recent successful presidential campaigns cannot be denied. In an early (and losing battle) Harvey Milk gets advice from a debate opponent. You can tell us what you're against, but your campaign is too pessimistic. People need hope, tell them what you are for.

Milk takes this advice to heart, and we see the idea of expounding hope in a campaign is not a recent fashion at all, but a universal strategy that speaks to the heart. You say on that soap box what people are feeling and they will respond.

Gus Van Sant (of Good Will Hunting) brings to the screen a touching and triumphant biopic of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay person elected to major public office in the United States of America. The film starts with the end and knows where it is going. The truth of the life of Harvey Milk is not sprung on you, and the end goal is put out within minutes of the opening. He is assassinated. This may seem a shock to those who were not aware, but his death is not the point. Milk cries the idea that this is not about the man, but about the movement. It immediately reminded me in a very different way of V for Vendetta in that a man can be killed, but an idea is eternal. Reflecting upon reaching forty and having no major accomplishment in his life, Harvey sets out to change the block, the street, the neighbor, and the city... in the hopes of putting a face to sexual discrimination.

The story humanizes so beautifully the condition of the male homosexual in the 1970's America. A culture and society bound by many vices and self-destructive behavior, but one that determines to be treated equally. The film resonates on a California proposition, and the obvious connections to the current proposition 8 fiasco cannot be denied. The timing of the story is good, and the events are real in history, but the politics aside, the film is about hope. It's about putting a face on a minority in any situation. Sean Penn is impeccable, an Oscar worthy performance. Looking at the real Harvey Milk and his interpretation, it's impressive the level to which he took it. Josh Brolin fits his limited but crucial role quite well, and his character's frustration and angst is multi layered. Brolin had such limited screen time to pull together the linchpin of this tragic drama, but did it well.

The final act is done well. Damn well. The story is a bit of a downer, but the underlying idea is one of hope, and it is quite redeeming. Despite the somber nature of the end game, I couldn't help but remember that ‘my name is Harvey Milk, and I'm here to recruit you.’