Milking it

It’s not often a film comes along that feels so heartfelt, so relevant and so entertaining, but Milk is all these things and more.

Gus Vant Sant directs this story of Harvey Milk, the legendary San Francisco politician who was ruthlessly gunned down by a co-worker along with the town’s mayor in 1978.

The country’s first openly gay politician to serve in a major office, Milk, who was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977, continues to inspire because of his courage and his battles for gay rights. In a time where homosexuals, and others whose sexual preferences don’t fit the current “norm,” continue to be treated like sinners and second-class citizens, the movie serves as a reminder of those who have battled for what is right.

But don’t be fooled that this is a soapbox movie. It’s not.

Milk is a thrilling tale of dedication, audacity and good old-fashioned American success. As Milk (played masterfully by Sean Penn) transforms from an unfulfilled New Yorker to the “mayor” of Castro Street, a predominantly gay area where he operates a camera shop, to a political celebrity, we are right there for the joys and for the sadness.

This is old-fashioned filmmaking, where story, script, camera work and performances add up to something extraordinary, where we inhabit the world on the screen so fully that once it is over it can’t leave our minds. It’s quite a feat and more proof that Van Sant is one of the best filmmakers working today.

We enter Milk’s life in the early 1970s, just before his life-changing move to San Francisco with his lover and friend Scott Smith. Hair long and counter-culture attitude in full force, Milk makes waves on Castro Street as he sows the seeds of his political career. He glad-hands, makes friends with teamsters and stands against homophobia.

As his social status continues to improve, Milk makes failed attempt after failed attempt at a political career, much to the dismay of Smith (James Franco), who feels that their relationship is put on the back burner. As his career grows, his love life falters.

But something is happening. A change is in the air as Milk gets more and more votes every year, with the help of a supportive team, until he breaks the barrier and takes office. Elected the same year as Milk is Dan White (Josh Brolin giving another in a string of chameleon-like performances) a former cop, who just can’t get over Milk’s sexual orientation.

A series of events, and the slow mental degradation of White, lead to the inevitable tragedy at the film’s end, where he makes his way through City Hall, assassinating Mayor George Moscone and then Milk.

Van Sant handles these final scenes with respect and never fetishizes the untimely and tragic deaths. It’s portrayed honestly, and it’s all the more heart wrenching for it.

Writer Dustin Lance Black, best known for penning episodes of Big Love, gives us a script devoid of flourishes. The characters speak as they should and there are few moments that feel forced like other biopics.

But like all good films, it’s not the ending we watch the movie for, but the journey. And what a journey this is.

Hopefully this film provides another nail in the coffin of bigotry and opens up the country’s eyes. As with Milk, adversity can lead to greatness. Maybe someday we will reach a point where all people are free to do great things without enduring pain and without the threat of being shot in the head.

This is an important film and one of the best of the year.