MILK

I don't want to be wrapped up in the sentimentality of it. I don't, but I am. This movie brought me to tears, probably especially because Prop 8 just passed in California, and I'm still smarting from what I personally, benevolently view as the unfortunate, misguided idiocy of the general public. So on the heels of that historic change enters this film by Gus Van Sant...of course I lost it! But I cried at TARZAN, so are you really surprised here? Show me a gay man weeping in the Castro and, yes, I too shall weep.

But really, in all fairness, I'd like to believe I also shed a salty tear because MILK, the biographical film detailing the rise of California's first (and only?) openly gay political official, Harvey Milk, is actually good. It is historically relevant, and it is masterfully told, with the best use of archive footage since, well, FORREST GUMP. And seeing as Tom Hanks played Forrest and that gay guy in PHILADELPHIA, I'm seeing a trend. It's a loose one, but I think we could play at least one round of "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon" with it. Tom Hanks played Forrest Gump...which used great archival footage, like MILK...which tells the story of a gay man...like PHILADELPHIA, which stars Tom Hanks! Oops, we're back at square one.

At any rate, there's more to be discussed there. Tom Hanks won an Oscar for his AIDS play in PHILADELPHIA, but his character is now only remembered as "that gay guy from PHILADELPHIA." In MILK, Sean Penn was not "that gay gay." Sean Penn was Harvey Milk. Wait, wait: Sean Penn was Harvey Milk. He hit that nail on the head with precision and perfection. The poster ain't gonna fall from the wall. He was as spot on as Jamie Foxx in RAY as Ray Charles, as Brad Pitt in FIGHT CLUB as Tyler Durden. Van Sant couldn't have chosen a better actor. I want him to win the Oscar--and I'm certain like whoa that he should--but I'm nervous about the Academy's stigma. Do gays get praise in this town? The jury's still out.

Apart from Sean Penn's superb performance (he silently cries alone in the dark, people), the historical perfectionism, employed, I assume, by our prolific director, is pretty awesome. The casting matches to a T, as you will see at the end credits. Every actor looks so similar to the real person they're playing, it's almost hilarious. The only one that doesn't entirely match is James Franco. Mr. Franco, the might-be-gay and definitely hot actor who wowed us in PINEAPPLE EXPRESS, is a little underwhelming in his role as Milk's paramour. His face makes up for it, though, as does Diego Luna's over-acting. It's almost a nice balance. So clearly, Penn was the stand-out performance, and the other actor worth watching in this film is not Franco--it's Emile Hirsch. And should you be surprised? Another faulty round of "Kevin Bacon" is upon us: Penn directed Hirsch in INTO THE WILD; Hirsch stars alongside Penn in MILK...and...that is not how you play this game.

Last note: the tagline of this film is "His life changed history. His courage changed lives." Another one I saw read, "Never blend in." Well, I watched the film early thanks to a press screening, and while waiting in line, my friends and I dreamed up some new taglines:
1. MILK: Does a (political) body good.
2. MILK: Drink it up.
3. MILK: White and creamy.
4. MILK: Don't cry over it.
5. MILK: Got it?
Maybe I'll suggest them to Gus for the DVD.

plot: Gay man fights for equality.
thought: We should also be fighting.
in five: 4/5

drink milk: http://www.filminfocus.com/focusfeatures/film/milk/