A very well deserved award winner.

Rating: 10/10 (12 March 2009)

Since films began over 100 years ago,there have been many biographies of well known personalities. Some have been good, some bad and some excellent.
MILK is one of the excellent ones.
Using a screenplay by newcomer Dustin Lance Black,(He has deserved every award he has so far been given)Gus Van Sant has directed this simple but powerful story of the last eight years in the life of Harvey Milk.
Mr. MIlk was 40 when he left his hum-drum job & life in New York City & moved to San Francisco.He opened a Camera store on Castro street, This was 1970 & the Gay Rights Movement was just starting. Harvey was motivated to do something for this righteous cause He became a politician.
He ran for public office (District Supervisor) twice before he finally one.He was one of the first gay man to win a major election.
This film is also about Dan White, another supervisor.Mr. White was a sad dissatisfied man,who Murdered 2 men. Mayor George Mosconi & Supervisor Harvey Milk. This awful act helped creating new laws giving Gay & Lesbian people proper HUMAN rights.
Sean Penn becomes Harvey Milk, his powerful multi-award winning portrayal will be remembered for many years to come.
Josh Brolin is Dan White, this too is a memorable performance.
James Franco, Emile Hirsch & Diego Luna are excellent as the very good friends of Harvey. Allison Pell excels as the Lesbian leader.
One more person to commend Denis O'hare.he takes on the role of Dan Briggs the bigoted assemblyman, I mention him as a point of interest as, he is a Gay activist when not acting.
The entire film was superbly made in San Francisco,including the opening scene,in a New York Subway station.(A BART station was used instead).
This is a properly rated R film,BUT no scene is overly explicit.
I know I will see this again, I think many people will.
Ratings: ****(out of 4) 99 points(out of 100) IMDb 10(out of 10)