A new, bright look at the world.

Rating: 9/10 (8 December 2010)

MILK -2008
This Oscar nominee movie is a strong and powerful film about Harvey Milk, the first openly homosexual man who became elected to board office in America. We follow his journey from New York to San Francisco where he opens a Photoshop with his boyfriend Scott in the Castro area. Eventually, Castro becomes a hangout spot for gay people in San Francisco, and after some time, people from all across America travel to San Francisco to be a part of the fast growing movement that Milk is starting. In San Francisco his political career flourishes, making him one of the best gay rights fighters in human history.
The director Gus Van Sant tells the story so well, and with a great respect for Milk's heritage.
In the end, it is the performances from the actors that make this film worth seeing. If you know what Penn stands for, you won't get surprised. However, with this performance, he just knocks everyone off the pitch. This is, together with Daniel Day-Lewis' interpretation of Daniel Plainview in There Will be Blood, the best performance in decades. Sean Penn makes his best performance so far in his career. James Franco makes a good appearance as Scott, while Josh Brolin contributes with depth and quality as Dan White, Milk's co-worker in the Board Office. Emile Hirsch makes a surprisingly good performance as Cleve Jones, a young guy, who eventually becomes an important support for Milk and his politic view.
I started watching this movie with high expectations, and I did not get disappointed. The story flows well, and in the end you just realize you have witnessed great movie-making.
I recommend this movie to everyone who likes seeing a good movie; this is not ordinary Hollywood garbage. People who appreciate well written and historically accurate movies will be satisfied. This is pure filmmaking on is very best, with actors delivering in every scene. And as I mentioned, Sean Penn is marvelous, as always. He rightly deserves his first Oscar since Mystic River from 2003.
Unfortunately, the fight against the rampant discrimination against and hatred of homosexuals is still not over. Milk's movement lives on, and grows stronger every day. He would be proud of that, and will be sad that our society has not truly healed, but only learned to mask its intolerance and hatred.
In the end: Watch the movie, feel the power Milk created in the seventies, and see how one man can change history.
You deserve to watch this movie.
Amund Hansen