It's a Golden Moment for all Involved

Rating: 10/10 (29 November 2008)

Seldom Hollywood gets it this right, from the assured direction of Van Sant to the excellent work done by the perfectly cast actors. Overall there is a sense of reality that heightens the pain and seriousness of the situation, a painful reminder of human perspectives and how easily we tend to overlook what is best for us and take sides in order to please segments of the population.
It's the story of a man who believed in making a difference and thought he would never be able to leave a mark. Throughout the film, Penn makes sure that the vulnerability, insecurity, and steely determination are flawlessly portrayed. He never creates a hero or a superman, he recreates the multifaceted individual who happened to become a crucial part of a movement that needed to be heard and ensured the rights of many people wouldn't be trampled.
Many might become upset by the main subject matter, but it is important to show the various sides of the protagonist and one could hope they could go more in depth into who Dan White was, and most importantly what made him tick and eventually explode.
The film is rich and filmed with a sense of realism that evokes the cinema of the 70's. It feels importantly because it deals with serious subject matter, treats it with respect, and seems to have a feeling of objectivity, giving it a very real and grave tone.
It is perfectly anchored by some of the best work ever done by Penn, Hirsch, Franco, Luna, and Brolin, actors who have been doing outstanding work in the last few years, but somehow manage to reach even more impressive levels here. It's golden all around.