Sunday, November 30, 2008

Milk



"You gotta give 'em hope". These are words from Harvey Milk's famous Hope Speech given at the 1978 Gay Freedom Day gathering in San Francisco. These words inspired those in attendance that day, and has continued to inspire many to this day. Milk, directed by Gus Van Sant, is the story of the first openly gay politician to be elected to public office.

The movie begins with Milk, played beautifully by Sean Penn, recording onto a cassette tape, and pretty much predicting his impending demise. We follow him from his 40th birthday in New York, where he meets Scott Smith, played by James Franco, who eventually moves with him to the Castro District in San Francisco. Milk opens up a Camera Shop below his apartment, much to the dismay of his fellow business owners. (See the thing is, it's almost amazing to think that the Castro District had a problem with it's gay denizens at one point. It's a complete 180 of what is reality now).

We follow Milk, and his extended family as it grows. Along the way we meet Cleve Jones, Danny Nicolletta, Dick Pabich, Jack Lira, and Anne Kronenberg. These are people who were around to see all this history come about, and who went on to do their own important things in life as well. Harvey Milk is not perfect by any means, and nor does this movie show him to be otherwise. His faults are shown, and this is showcased in his drive for politics, and the effect it has on his personal relationships. Not to mention that he is never shown to be a legendary figure. He's a man, who had an idea of what his rights as an American citizen should be and we get a glimpse of how he helped his community get closer to that idea.

Milk tries and tries again to get into the position of Supervisor of District 5, and at first fails miserably. It's only with the help of Anne Kronenberg that he finally gets the votes he needed and gets into City Hall. Once in office, Milk meets Dan White. Who is played by Josh Brolin in yet another amazing role he's put out this year. He and White are polar opposites, who begin to show their differences from the get go. The thing about White is that his whole life is built on a house of cards that is ready to collapse at any moment. All it takes is one flick of the finger and the whole thing comes tumbling down. This if course happens, leading to his horrendous actions that shock a city that was already reeling from the events of Jonestown weeks before.

The acting is right on the money from the supporting cast. Franco, Emile Hirsch, Josh Brolin, and Allison Pill all turn in star performances. They all make up this wonderful quilt of a movie that makes it special. Gus Van Sant delivers what is easily his most accessible film. He's encapsulated the 70's in San Francisco, and with the help of his screenwriter, Dustin Lance Black, delivers a movie that has a strong message about civil rights, and how easily they can be taken away when left in the hands of others who fear or don't understand you. My only problems with this movie lie with Diego Luna's performance, that just comes off as annoying, and with a part at the end that was better left unseen that comes at a pivotal moment.

There is a line in this movie that keeps resonating in my head. When dealt with the possibility of a crushing defeat in the fight for his civil rights, he says "If this thing passes, fight the hell back!"

I give this movie 4.5 out of 5 pitchforks.