A top-notch representation of one of America's most intolerant times

Rating: 10/10 (31 August 2016)

Following the 1960s when America struck a chord with the Civil Rights Movement that helped fight against the prejudice against African-Americans, was the election of San Francisco's supervisor Harvey Milk, who made a name for himself when he became the first gay man in American history to take office as supervisor. This event made history during the years of when the homosexual community faced with mass intolerance from citizens left and right. Ranging from religious reasons, to outright insecurity of sexuality; citizens everywhere, particularly the Conservatives, found it difficult to bear homosexuals as functioning individuals of society, going as far as to call them "rapists", "child molesters", "freaks", the list goes on. Many people feared these kinds of individuals were mortal threats to society. This engaging historical biopic directed by Gus Van Sant (Good Will Hunting) paints an awe-inspiring picture of the titular man's journey to making history in one of our country's most intolerant times, from his 40th birthday to his infamous assassination in 1978. Sean Penn plays Harvey Milk, a man from New York who moves to San Francisco, California with his lover Scott Smith (played by James Franco) where they witness extreme hostility against gay individuals by the hands of the public including the police force. Milk decides it's time to take a stand against society's bigotry and launches a movement in an outcry for equal rights. With young college kid Cleve Jones (played by Emile Hirsch) and Scott by his side, Milk runs for office and leads a fight to secure gay rights while facing conflict against Conservative attorney Dan White (played by Josh Brolin) and Senator John Briggs (played by Denis O'Hare).
Unless you are a member of the LGBT community or lived in San Francisco during the 70s, there's a fair chance you're not familiar with Harvey Milk. But by many means, this biopic shines light on what made him one of the most influential political figures in the history of our country, and Gus Van Sant handles the story with realism and sincerity. Opening up with shots of archival news footage dealing with crime and brutality against the homosexual community, the movie gives a clear sneak peak of what we are getting into. We are then introduced to a barely recognizable Sean Penn and James Franco with a scraggly 70s hair style in 1970 when their two characters first meet and begin their intimate relationship. Their story continues in later years when they bear witness to the harsh maltreatment against the homosexual community as the population rapidly increases. These moments hit hard and paint a clear picture of the tyranny the gay community faced. From there on, Harvey Milk's story from his beginning days of activism to rise in the political ladder progress in an inspiring story. Gus Van Sant does a pleasant job of not only humanizing the characters of both sides of the central political issue, but handles the plot in a way that tells a compelling story without sparking tediousness by focusing more on the subject matter than the storytelling. The story hits many crucial spots including the outcry of the Christian community, the fight against the Preposition 6 that allowed schools to fire teachers who were found gay, and the complex relationship between Milk and attorney Dan White. And the thanks to Gus Van Sant'a execution, the story delivers with wit. Sean Penn and James Franco are tremendous in their roles, as is Josh Brolin as the titular character's rival. The cast gives the best of their talent to the point where you can't help to admire how committed these actors are.
Milk is an outstanding historical biopic with an endearing performance by lead Sean Penn, and pays a great tribute to a man who made American history. Whether you agree with the political views of the titular figure or not, this film paints a great cinematic effort and brings it to life with Gus Van Sant's incredible direction. It is a film that is not powerfully presented, but falls astonishingly relatable of what still goes on today.