There are few actors that have the abilities of Sean Penn. There are also few that are as polarizing. While many may be turned off by his political views, there is no doubt that Penn is one of the premier actors working in Hollywood today, and as Harvey Milk in Gus Van Sant's "Milk" he delivers the best performance of his storied career. The film, nominated for 8 Oscars in 2008, is a stirring and uplifting look at the life of a man who did so much for his community and gays across the nation."Milk" charts the rise of Harvey Milk as the first openly gay man elected to political office. Milk realizes that, at age 40, he has done nothing special so, with the help of his lover Scott Smith (James Franco) he begins to campaign. As he tries over and over to gain the support of the public he is met with stiff resistance from the non-gay community. Even after he succeeds in being elected to public office he faces new challenges from the inside as he continues to put his life at risk to stand up for homosexuals across the country.
Van Sant has had an up and down career, with highlights such as "Good Will Hunting" and some lows like the ill-advised shot-for-shot "Psycho" remake. However, "Milk" finds him in top form. In what is the most mature film of his career, Van Sant's guiding hand not only lets Penn do what he does best but makes sure the movie doesn't stray too far in any direction. Some may see this film as a pro-gay rights film, and while it certainly sets Harvey Milk as a sort of hero it speaks more to the freedoms that all men have and the need to stand up for what we believe in. Benefiting greatly from a personal screenplay by Dustin Lance Black, meticulous editing that blends real footage with what's being played out on screen, and an operatic score by Danny Elfman the film soars in its vision and engages the audience while keeping bias out of the picture.
The film is riddled with excellent performances, but none as great as the lead. Sean Penn fully embodies Harvey Milk: his strength, his doubts, his passion, his playfulness. In a terrifically nuanced performance Penn creates a completely sympathetic character, one the audience finds themselves cheering for and believing in as he gives his all for a cause that is at the core of his being. His Oscar win was well deserved. The support Penn recieves is excellent, starting with Emile Hirsch as the fiesty, determined Cleve Jones and trickling on down to Diego Luna and Franco. However, the best support comes from Oscar-nominated Josh Brolin as Dan White, a man who does not know how to deal with Milk and his homosexuality and in the end lets ignorance get the best of him. His work is at the same time depressing, tragic, and at times even sympathetic.
While it was unable to win Best Picture (that honor went to the Cinderella story that was "Slumdog Millionaire"), "Milk" is one of the best films of 2008 and may have taken the top prize had it not been for "Slumdog" (which deserved its win). Anchored by one of the best performances of the decade as well as top notch production from all involved "Milk" is a triumph of the human spirit and deserves to be seen for its message of how to persevere in the face of persecution.
