A good true movie about an American gay activist in the '70's.

Rating: 8/10 (11 October 2009)

This movie tells the true story of Harvey Bernard Milk, a gay activist who became a politician in order to bring the fight for equal rights to an higher level. Through his power in office he gets the things done that live on the streets, among the gay community.
Quite amazing though- and also sad, that the things in this movie actually truly happened. It's great that there was a person such as Harvey Milk but it's sad that there actually had to be a person such as him in the first place to fight for the rights of gay persons.
"Milk" is an inspirational movie about a inspirational and brave person, who really got things done in the short amount of time that he was fully involved in politics. The movie is suffering from some of the same problem as most other biopics though. It shows that it's almost impossible to tell a persons life and his life work in such a short time span. It now is basically the story of Harvey Milk in a nutshell and the movie often makes jumps and the pace is at all times high, which keeps the story going, without ever giving you a moments rest really. This is the main reason why I'm growing less fond of biographic movies. The story of this movie feels like it could had told and delivered so much more. Harvey Milk was a important figure in the fight for gay rights in the '70's and his work in San Fransisco reached out to the rest of the United States as well.
Still it's a movie that gets the benefit of the doubt because of its Oscar winning story and the message that this movie sends across. Homosexuality is still a bit of a sensitive subject on which still lays a big taboo in America. This movie had the guts to tell this story and it's also not afraid to show the 'open' sides of the gay community as it is, so you can expect seeing lots of kissing man in this movie, as well as a couple of sex scenes between persons of the same sex.
Also a daring brave role from Sean Penn of course, as well as from the other heterosexual actors within the movie, playing homosexual characters. It's not easy playing such an openly gay person when you self are an heterosexual person. It takes really guts, class and talents to act like that in front of the camera and this is also the foremost reason why Sean Penn won an Oscar for his role in this movie. Some other fine actors that appear in this movie are Josh Brolin, James Franco, Diego Luna and new star Emile Hirsch.
A great relevant movie, from director Gus Van Sant, who shows good form again with this movie.
8/10
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