A story about determination and courage.

Rating: 10/10 (10 December 2008)

This movie is one of the best, if not the best, movie biopics in Hollywood history. Besides being superbly directed and well-acted, the movie tells a story about determination and the affirmation of those values that made the United States great. Although Harvey Milk is the central character of this movie, the story is about much more than Mr. Milk's political career or his tragic death. Rather, it is a statement about courage in the face of extreme adversity and for standing up to what you believe is right. Harvey Milk could have played it safe, played ball with the powers that be, cut his deals with the other politicos and in the process become just another politician. But he believed in action and meant every word he said and for that he paid the ultimate price. For a public official to take an unpopular stand takes a lot of courage and guts and Harvey Milk had both those qualities. Yet the movie also contains the negative message, that by taking an unpopular stand one puts everything on the line, including one's life. It's a fact that the movie boldly examines. The deaths of Harvey Milk and George Moscone is a dark chapter in American political history. Hopefully neither man died in vain.