Milk Hits All the Right Notes, But Something's Missing

Rating: 8/10 (12 April 2012)

A very straightforward, by-the-books biopic of Harvey Milk, San Francisco city supervisor and gay rights martyr. Political biographies are tough in that they always seem to have a clear agenda, and even though I happen to agree wholeheartedly with the message behind this one, it's still a very one-sided telling. The two factions at the center of the film's central argument are presented as sharply black and white, with few figures outside of Harvey's inner circle given credit for the reforms that were passed during his brief public career, and that seems to stand at odds with the core values of unity and equality that the film keeps talking up. Sean Penn deserves credit for his bold portrayal of the titular activist and politician; Milk's character arc is clear and powerful as we watch him grow from a shy, closeted New York businessman into a well-spoken social rights figurehead. That evolution is joyful but slow moving, and it often gets lost amongst the hustle and bustle of his increasingly active social and sex lives. It's an important story that's every bit as relevant today as it was in 1978, but the film translation lacks the punchiness and fresh identity I was looking for. Good, perhaps even very good, but no better.