Gus Van Zandt’s MILK, about Harvey Milk, the slain first openly gay public official is no frothy biopic. Powered by yet another transformative Sean Penn performance it doesn’t quite represent a unique approach to this type of story but nonetheless is quite moving. It also cuts deeper due to the current gay marriage initiatives that failed to gain ground her in California.
We first see Harvey in New York in the early 70’s, alone and looking for a “special” friend to help him celebrate his 40th birthday. The fact the he and James Franco have a full onscreen bromance within the first 10 minutes I think was wise in getting the audience “acquainted” with the ooh and aaaah aspect of two male movie stars getting it on. No slow Brokeback buildup in this one. Harvey feels that he hasn’t done much with his 40 years and chooses to move to San Francisco to start a new life in the burgeoning gay Castro district. He opens a camera shop and gradually starts getting involved in local politics mostly involving advocating for gay rights. Without a lack of representation in the community, Milk emerges as a charming, intelligent and tenacious neighborhood leader. His “I’m Harvey Milk and I’m here to recruit you” became the rallying cry for his campaign and with three failed attempts at city council, he finally emerged a victor. Shortly after, he was tragically shot along with the Mayor by a recently fired city councilman Dan White. As it moves to the inevitable tragic conclusion, we meet Milk’s very loyal and outspoken political crew of gay men, with Milk as den mother, fighting for their social and political rights. We see the toll that Milk’s political life takes on his personal life with his longtime lover leaving (Franco) and his innocent, dedicated and needy new lover (Diego Luna) ending his life.
As much as I’ve enjoyed Van Zandt’s independent streak, I always look forward to him conforming to more of a traditional Hollywood structure because he always adds his unique approach, elevating a traditional format to something greater (Good Will Hunting). Van Zandt cleverly uses real news footage with re-enactments to great effect. The period detail and costumes all invoke the 70’s with documentary like detail and certain shots (beating shown through reflection in whistle, final shooting to name a few) are beautifully rendered in their atrocity. But the film is also about a man who has finally found his mojo. At 40 he has found passion and purpose to change the world. Milk’s political aspirations and need to elevate homosexual rights starts to really effect his personal life in that he can’t sacrifice his ambition and loses some important personal relationships along the way.
This might be the first Sean Penn role where his sweetness is his primary color. You don’t equate vulnerability and softness with Sean Penn, but portraying Harvey Milk seems to have expanded his range and freed him as an actor to an even greater level. The simple device of having him sitting at a table, alone, narrating the movie sounds banal enough but his directness, honesty and sweetness make it all the more poignant knowing the outcome. Diego Luna, Emile Hirsch and particularly Josh Brolin are all great.
The fact that prop 8 passed in California and that gay men and women are still fighting for equal footing socially made this film even more relevant. Yes, we’ve come very far with gay acceptance in society but not far enough. I was grateful to spend time learning about a part of American history that I didn’t know much about that like all great movements, are propelled by a charismatic and visionary leader like Harvey Milk.
