Not Sean Penn's finest hour

Rating: 3/10 (23 February 2020)

A friend of mine told me he saw Milk in the theaters and that Sean Penn's performance was overrated. "Instead of I Am Sam, it's I Am Gay," my pal said. Obviously, with that kind of recommendation, I had to see it for myself. I didn't want to be, but I was disappointed with Sean Penn and the movie as a whole. I loved his acceptance speech at the Oscars, but I felt he didn't try as hard as he could have.
This biopic of the first openly gay California politician is filmed in an interesting documentary style that blends real footage with scripted scenes. While the hairstyles and fashion of the cast takes you back to the late 1970s, I couldn't help but wish Sean Penn had put as much into this movie as he had I Am Sam. It felt like he was walking through the role and relying on the real Harvey Milk's emotional affect on the audience, rather than letting his talent guide the story. In the supporting cast are political activists Emile Hirsch and Alison Pill, Sean's first boyfriend James Franco, Sean's second boyfriend Diego Luna, the infamous villain Josh Brolin, and Victor Garber as the San Franciscan mayor. Among the supporting actors, there's an incredible amount of passion that the audience can revel in, but all those people pouring their hearts into the sensitive subject serves as a double-edged sword: by comparison, Sean Penn's performance seems even more watered-down.
If you like the cast, or if you want to see a biopic of Harvey Milk, of course you're going to want to watch this heavy drama. If you don't end up loving it, you're not the only one.
DLM Warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not be your friend. Given the documentary style of the film, there are some unexpected zooms and handheld camera, and it will make you sick. In other words, "Don't Look, Mom!"
Kiddy Warning: Obviously, you have control over your own children. However, due to violence, I wouldn't let my kids watch it.