Milk (2008); biographical drama film review

Poster artwork for the biographical drama film Milk.

Harvey’s Hope by Linh

Milk is a rousing biographical drama which traces the last eight years of gay rights activist and San Francisco Supervisor, Harvey Milk’s life, from age forty to forty eight.

Harvey Milk made history by becoming the first openly gay man to be publicly elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977. Milk’s willingness to listen to his opponents and work with them, along with an eccentricity that made him stand out from the crowd, helped to bring admiration and widespread support for his causes.

The film opens with scenes of violent bashings and arrests of gay men in the 1960s and 1970s, and with a smooth transition that brings the action to the present which shows Harvey Milk speaking into a tape recorder about a possible assassination attempt on his life. He records his speeches and recalls events that have brought him to the position of San Francisco Supervisor.

SUPPORT: Harvey Milk (Sean Penn) surrounds himself with friends and admirers in the film Milk. Image: Focus Features.

Gus Van Sant’s direction gives more than just a stirring portrait of a freedom fighter and unifier, but also depicts the impact of Milk’s determination to instigate change to improve the lives of the gay community, senior citizens, union workers and other minorities.

Gus Van Sant wanted to keep the film historically accurate and true to the actual events, so he chose to film Milk on location in San Francisco such as along Castro Street, where Harvey Milk and his lover Scott Smith opened their photographic store (Castro Cameras), and inside San Francisco’s Federal Building where scenes in the offices and City Hall were filmed.

He cleverly interweaves live action with archival footage giving the film a pleasing authenticity, with the use of 16mm film to make the archive footage almost indistinguishable from the filmed scenes.

FRIENDLY FOE: Dan White (Josh Brolin) discusses a deal with Harvey Milk (Sean Penn) in the film Milk. Image: Focus Features.

The cast is extraordinarily wonderful with brilliant performances throughout. Sean Penn plays Harvey Milk with some prosthetics to his nose and fake teeth. Penn is a walking, talking and living image of Harvey Milk, who manages to capture all the quirks and generous spirit that made Harvey the unexpected champion of gay rights and equality.

James Franco portrays Harvey’s lover and fellow gay rights activist Scott Smith, who continued to love and support Harvey even after the pair broke up.

Franco gives a strong performance and shows his versatility in film roles, from the stoner film Pineapple Express to the mystery drama In The Valley of Elah.

Josh Brolin is a very strait-laced and ambiguous Dan White, who befriends Harvey Milk when they are elected together on the Board of Supervisors.

Harvey Milk sees Dan as a friend who can help him pass legislation to protect gay rights but Dan has similar but sinister reasons to be Harvey’s ally. Even Harvey’s successful bid to use dog poo to help pass his gay rights laws barely brought a smile to Dan’s face.

FORMER LOVER: Scott Smith (James Franco) gives his support to Harvey Milk (Sean Penn) in the film Milk. Image: Focus Features.

The supporting cast comprises mainly of Harvey Milk’s friends, staff and lovers, who all provided sterling support.

Emile Hirsch is bright and rebellious as the street-punk-turned-activist, Cleve Jones; Alison Pill is superb as Harvey Milk’s quick-witted and fast-working campaign manager, Anne Kronenberg; Diego Luna is impressive as Harvey’s clingy, needy and manipulative lover Jack Lira; and High School Musical star Lucas Grabeel is excellent as Danny Nicoletta, the campaign photographer for Harvey Milk.

An interesting aspect of Milk is how so many people who either opposed or supported Proposition 6, (a proposal which makes it possible to sack gay teachers and anyone who supports them) are not portrayed by actors. They are shown only in archival footage used as part of Gus Van Sant’s direction of blending and morphing the reality of the past into the reality of the film’s present.

People such as the right wing Anita Bryant who was prominent in campaigning against homosexuality and preventing gay equality, former US President Ronald Reagan, American news broadcasters Walter Cronkite and Tom Brokaw all appeared as themselves throughout the film, but only in archival footage.

The 1970s hairstyles, fashion and music are accurately depicted, with an eclectic mix of opera arias, classical instrumentals, soul and rock music featured in the film.

RALLY: Cleve Jones (Emile Hirsch) drums up support for Harvey Milk's election to the Board of Supervisors in the film Milk. Image: Focus Features.

Milk is an uplifting and engaging independent biopic film on one of the most enigmatic individuals whose passion for gay rights still resonates in the hearts and minds of those who continue to have hope for sexual equality.

CAMPAIGNING: Anne Kronenberg (Alison Pill) and Cleve Jones (Emile Hirsch) work to stop Proposition 6 in the film Milk. Image: Focus Features.

Director: Gus Van Sant

Writer: Dustin Lance Black

Cast: Sean Penn, James Franco, Josh Brolin, Emile Hirsch, Diego Luna, Alison Pill, Victor Garber, Lucas Grabeel, Denis O’Hare, Kelvin Yu

Producers: Dustin Lance Black, Bruce Cohen, Barbara A. Hall, William Horberg, Dan Jinks, Michael London, Bruna Papandrea

Original Music Composer: Danny Elfman

Cinematographer: Harris Savides (Director of Photography)

Film Editor: Elliot Graham

Production: Bill Groom (Production Designer), Charley Beal (Art Director), Barbara Munch (Set Decorator)

Costume Designer: Danny Glicker

Running Time: 2 hours 8 minutes.