One of the ten best films of the decade

Rating: 10/10 (30 April 2010)

Even those unsympathetic to the political message of this film would have to admit its superb dramatic expression of that message. Rarely does one find such consonance between writer, actor, and director. Penn's trenchant portrayal of Harvey Milk will be studied by aspiring actors for at least a generation if not longer.
It is no mean task for a filmmaker to take on a gripping true story where the ending is known in advance. There are no clichés here, no shortcuts, no tongue-in-cheek asides. The script follows a logical development of the eponymous character despite sudden shifts in time, and winds up at the end without disturbing anyone's sense of suspense. It's hard to say whether that attribute stems from the writer or the director; I suppose in all fairness one must cite it as the result of close collaboration.
I first viewed this film on a four-inch screen in a transatlantic flight from London to Chicago. Not even the stunning beauty of glaciers in Greenland could sway my attention from it. When I saw it later on a normal screen I was even more impressed by its excellence.
Watch it not so much for the message as for the basic humanity conveyed.