Human, not just gay, rights

Rating: 9/10 (12 June 2009)

Sean Penn is "Milk" - Harvey Milk, that is - in this 2008 film directed by Gus van Sant and also starring James Franco, Josh Brolin, Victor Garber, and Alison Pill. The film takes through Milk's life from the time he hit 40 and "hadn't done anything" until his assassination in 1978 at the hands of his angry ex-colleague, Dan White (Brolin) in 1978. Mayor George Moscone was also killed by White the same day. The trial became famous for the "Twinkie defense" when White's attorneys claimed he was chemically imbalanced because of eating a lot of junk food. He only served five years in prison, but two years after being released, he killed himself.
Harvey Milk's story is a remarkable and inspiring one, and van Sant gives it full breadth here - Milk's commitment and passion to the cause of gay/human rights, his determination despite losing three elections, his quick mind, and his boundless energy. Despite a wave of hate against gays moving across the country, he helped to convince California voters to defeat Proposition 6, which would have allowed the firing of gay teachers and school workers.
The story remains timely in its reminder of the progress of gay rights and also its challenges, which are the same as they were then, the opposition of fundamentalist Christians.
I was around during this period in history. I well remember Anita Bryant and Dade County, but I admit to not having much idea of what was going on in the rest of the country. It was an eye-opener for someone who went to music school, pursued a theater career in New York and had many gay friends, some of whom were "in the closet." Milk invited everyone out of the closet so that people would realize that gays made up their neighbors, their teachers, their doctors, their friends, etc. He felt it was important to be who you are and to set an example so that young people wouldn't hate themselves for being different and would be unafraid of their true identity.
The performances are brilliant all the way down the line. I have said for some time that while I love Johnny Depp, I consider Sean Penn the greatest actor in films. He doesn't portray Milk, he inhabits the man. He's likable, sympathetic, courageous, funny, warm, smart, and energetic as Milk himself must have been to inspire so many people. It's a tour de force. James Franco, in another chameleon performance, is a standout as Harvey's boyfriend Scott.
Truly a great film, a great script, an interesting slice of history, a searing performance by Penn. A must see.