In 1977, Harvey Milk became the first openly gay man to be elected to public office when he joined the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Just as Barack Obama’s election was seen by many as an important step in moving beyond this country’s legacy of discrimination and racism, Milk’s election was seen as an important step in the recognition not just of gay rights but also of human rights. The parallels between the two are unmistakable: an unlikely candidate challenging the status quo and breaking down the doors of discrimination to win an election. The story is remarkably timely, too, given the recent controversy in California over Proposition 8 that eliminated the right of same-sex couples to marry. Thirty years after Harvey Milk’s assassination Gus Van Sant delves into the last eight years of Milk’s life in a biopic starring Sean Penn in the title role. Who better to direct than openly gay filmmaker Gus Van Sant? Certainly the subject of gay rights is one that is very personal for him and like many of his previous films, Milk deals with characters outside of mainstream society. However, in contrast to his past films, the characters that inhabit Milk are interested in changing that dynamic.
Milk is framed by Sean Penn (as Harvey Milk) speaking into a tape recorder to preserve his recollections of life in San Francisco and the events that led to his election to the Board of Supervisors. We later find out that he is taking this action in response to receiving death threats, although he has courageously chosen to ignore them. The film begins with Milk and his new partner Scott Smith, portrayed by James Franco (Pineapple Express, Spiderman), moving from New York City to the Castro neighborhood in San Francisco and starting a camera store. As the Castro district transforms into a gay mecca, Milk becomes a vocal leader in the community and is dubbed the “Mayor of Castro Street”. Van Sant uses plenty of archival footage to help show the metamorphosis of the neighborhood. In addition, Van Sant went for an authentic look by filming on location. He employs cinematographer Harris Savides, who also worked with David Fincher to convincingly recreate 1970s-era San Francisco in the 2007 film Zodiac.
As his profile increases, Milk meets and recruits the young street hustler Cleve Jones, impressively acted by Emile Hirsch (Into the Wild). Hirsch is almost unrecognizable behind big glasses and big hair as Jones, who Milk mentors and encourages him to focus his energy into political activism. Alison Pill (Pieces of April) stands out in the mostly male cast as Anne Kronenberg, Milk’s new campaign advisor, who wins the respect of her initially skeptical male peers and is instrumental in Milk’s eventual success. Among many other factors, Harvey Milk’s success was due to making a conscious effort to appeal to a wide variety of voters and emphasizing the theme of “hope” in his campaign – very familiar concepts in 2008. After he takes office he begins working with fellow Supervisor Dan White. Josh Brolin (No Country for Old Men) turns in a stunning performance as the deeply conflicted, paranoid, and (as suggested by Dustin Lance Black’s thoroughly researched screenplay) latently homosexual White. The moments when Penn and Brolin are together onscreen are some of the most tense and exciting scenes in the film. Diego Luna (Y Tu Mama Tambien) is the only weak link in an impressive cast as Jack Lira, Milk’s last partner of note. Unfortunately for Luna, he doesn’t have much to work with in a one-dimensional role that attempts to elicit sympathy yet annoys viewers with his drama queen antics.
In Milk, Van Sant eschews his more experimental tendencies (particularly on display throughout his “Death Trilogy” comprising Gerry, Elephant, and Last Days) that have often alienated viewers looking for an emotional connection and directs one of his most accessible films since 1997’s Good Will Hunting. Ultimately, the success of the film hinges on Penn’s ability to inhabit the man and he is up to the task here. With equal parts warmness and empathy to go alongside a dogged determination and sense of justice for all people, Penn’s performance nails the qualities that were surely essential in Milk’s own political success. Harvey Milk’s drive to succeed, despite the tremendous obstacles and numerous setbacks he faced, and the courage he displayed by speaking out provide the foundation for a powerfully inspirational film. These factors help Milk rise above the standard-issue biopics that major studios routinely release around Oscar season. The final images of the film, showing archival footage of the huge amount of people who came to Milk’s vigil with lit candles continued to resonate with me long after leaving the theater and gave me hope that in the not-too-distant future Harvey Milk’s hopes and dreams for equal rights for all can be realized.
Milk is currently playing at Landmark River Oaks Theatre.
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