A moving, frequently amazing picture...

Rating: 8/10 (1 January 2016)

Sean Penn won a well-deserved Best Actor Oscar for portrayal of Harvey Milk, the first openly-gay man elected to public office, serving on the Board of Supervisors in San Francisco circa 1978. One of Harvey's co-workers, Dan White (well-played by Josh Brolin) was disgruntled at Milk's progress and his embracing by fellow Board members, as well as by Mayor George Moscone. Moscone, who backed Harvey's ideals (not to mention his lifestyle, which White couldn't comprehend), was just as guilty in Dan White's eyes of destroying the fabric of the country as Milk, thus ending a colorful and riveting chapter in American history. Screenwriter Dustin Lance Black guides us carefully through Milk's early political ambitions and formation as a possible contender in the political arena, which was full of stop-and-start success. Milk's sexual escapades are softened a bit by the editing, with randy interludes and wild celebrations seen mostly in quick clips. Nevertheless, we get all we need from director Gus Van Sant's intuitive camera, which picks up little bits of character business on the fly, shaping the personalities on the screen. The large ensemble cast works at an incredibly high artistic level, while the masterful art direction and production design (with snippets of mid-1970s footage interspersed) put the audience right there on Market Street in the Castro. The narrative has been streamlined for dramatic purposes, yet is no less powerful for it, particularly to viewers unaware of Harvey Milk's pioneering achievements. ***1/2 from ****