Milk

Milk is easily one of 2008s best films, worthy of its 8 oscar nominations. Top notch direction from Van Sant. Penn is great, as are the supporting cast of Franco, Hirsch and especially Brolin.

This Oscar winning film tells the story of openly homosexual and gay rights activist Harvey Milk. The film really captures the seventies very well and the films' style is great. Sean Penn is on oscar winning form as Milk and he is supported tremendously by James Franco, Emile Hirsch, Diego Luna and the incredibly underrated Josh Brolin. The film shows us Milk being elected Supervisor to the city of San Francisco right up until his tragic death.
One of the years' best films.

Being born in Jamaica from a very homophobic society and in 1976 I felt a bit emotional when I watched and am not ashamed to say I cried.
The oscars they got are truly deserved and I can extend a great thank you to Dustin Lance Black Sean Penn Gus Van Sant Emile Hirsch James Franco and all others who contributed to making this wonderfull film.
I recommend it to anyone who wants to know a bit about gay history and as its the 40th year since stonewall I wish you all a happy Pride whereever you are.

I am a gay male 30years old and am normally very up to date with gay culture. I not interested in gay comedies but educational movies that show how hard it used to be for people who are gay. The new generation of gay people do not know they are born and have it very easy to how it was even 10 years ago.
I had heard a rumour that Sean Penn had made a film where he played the lead gay role. Sadley all that was spoken about really at the time of its release was Slumdog Millionare. I hadnt heard of Harvey Milk so didnt pay much attention. Then when it won Best Picture at the Oscars over Slumdog I was amazed and happy. Then hearing Sean Penns acceptance speech telling the USA to wake up and make gay marriage legal I had to wacth the film.
The film is fantastic. Sean plays the lead with such ease and kindness. Not one hint of unnatural acting. The film is educational, moving, empowering and very sad. I was not prepared to be so effected by this film. I have made so many of my friends straight and gay watch it whom all have loved it. I think when gay people come out there should be an education programme for them. Making people aware that being gay is not all nice clothes, great clubs, Madonna and Kylie. They should be made aware of how hard it was and who suffered dearly for just being themselves and didnt back down in order for us to be where we are today. Quintin Crisp's movies are a must as well as this amazing classic Milk. Straight or gay I ask you to watch this film. Whatever you are sexually will not make any difference to how this film will educate and move you. 10-10

I am a straight male in my early 30s, and I confess that I didn't know who Harvey Milk was before watching this film. I am into a wide variety of film genres (as my review history reflects), and picked this movie up not knowing what to expect, but went for it on the strength of the (deserved) critical praise is has received. In short, it is one of the best films I have seen in a long time.

Sean Penn gives a deservedly acclaimed performance as Milk, a charismatic, entertaining individual. The supporting cast - none of whom I personally was familiar with - also put in excellent performances.

Without meaning to brush over the important work and advancements Milk made on behalf of the LGBT community, this is a story that appeals far beyond the gay community, and a classic story about standing up for the downtrodden.

The film runs at two hours; in some movies, I find this a bit long and my attention starts to wander, but in the case of 'Milk' I found it the perfect length; it needs the full two hours to tell the story, and I can honestly say I did not feel it to sag at any point.

It's hard to accurately class this film - for its most part, it is a drama-biography, but it also has some nice moments of comedy, and is also very touching at points.

There is little I can find to gripe about with this movie. I did find that Harvey met the two big loves of the story (first the charming Scott, later the demanding Jack) and fell in love with (and was in bed with) barely after meeting them; I did wonder if this was tweaked to suit that pacing of the film.
Some have commented that they felt the film concentrates on Harvey's love life too much, neglecting further detailing of his political career. I personally did not feel this at all - I found both elements to be well balanced, and think it was important to give an overview of Milk's whole life, not just political, to get a more rounded view of him.

Regarding the DVD release, extras are three deleted (and pretty inconsequential) deleted scenes, a 15 minute documentary looking profiling Harvey Milk, a 13 minute making of featurette, and a third looking at the recreation of the candlelight vigil (but which also strays into other areas). There are also international and UK versions of the film's trailer. Ordinarily I like to see an audio commentary on DVD releases, but maybe it was felt this film didn't need one.

All-in-all, this is a really enjoyable movie. You don't have to have gay interests to become engrossed in it, and I am glad that it is bringing the tale of Harvey Milk to a new generation, including myself. And at under a fiver, you can't go wrong. Highly recommended.

Story is Interesting and Inspiring, but also presented in a Run of the Mill Inspirational Film of the Week style.
For me it did not have the emotional punch that I expected, considering the Hype and Oscar nominations that were showered on it.
And even though Sean Penn gives a very good performance, I didn't feel that he deserved an Oscar for this performance, compared to some of theother performances he has given
Worth a watch when you get a chance.

'Milk' is a beautiful and intelligent biopic of a forgotten hero, Harvey Milk. A man who stood up for himself and his people, the homosexual population of San Francisco and the rest of America, and was elected as the first openly gay politician.

'Milk' works so well because it has balance. The narrative is simple yet effective, Gus Van Sant directs wonderfully, just like in 'Elephant' and it's cast is just magnificent.

Sean Penn is the perfect actor for Harvey Milk and he delivers his performance in such an audience-friendly manor, you just can't help but love him.

Josh Brolin is also brilliant as Dan White, another elected official who doesn't believe in homosexuality, James Franco is grand as Harvey's boyfriend Scott Smith, but for me, Emile Hirsch steals the show as Cleve Jones, a young gay tear-away who becomes Milk's side-kick and distributor.

This film is a heart-felt and direct view into the life and times of Harvey Milk and a great look at '70s America and politics.

another great gus van sant movie, as always a first class drama with first class performances and an interesting story.
the life story about a gay-rights fighter in the seventies: a pioneer for equal rights and non-discrimination and all the obstacles on his way.
excellent performance by sean penn who's never afraid to go somewhat further than one would expect. class actor! deserved oscar for best actor!!!

A top-notch and powerful drama following the life of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay elected politician in the USA in 1977 and his murder in 1978 by a co-worker.

Condensing the story, covering the period 1970 - 1978, when Milk was challenged to change his life on his 40th Birthday by moving to San Francisco and slowly but surely becoming a driving force in the fight for gay rights allows the film to focus on the really important parts.

From his early victories against local traders, through his larger battles with figures such as Anita Bryant and other prominent conservatives we are painted with a moving portrait of the struggles fought to advance gay rights. Intercutting real-life newsreel footage with is a move that works perfectly to capture the essence of the time and lends a semi-documentary feel to the film.

The directing by Gus Van Sant is minimal and unobtrusive, letting the actors do their job Sean Penn is utterly convincing and he more than deserved the Best Actor Oscar for the performace, but also a revelation is James Franco as his lover, who reveals ability rarely seen in the Spider-Man saga. Josh Brolin also quietly impresses as Dan White, the city employee who eventually murdered Milk and got off on the now famous 'Twinki defence'.

All in, this part-film/part-document demands to be seen and reminds us that the struggles fought in the film, the victories won and then later lost, are still going on in the world today.

This is a great film, a really great script, some great acting from penn and franco and i loved it. I had never heard of harvey milk before this so i didn't know what happened to him but let me just say the twinkie defence. Google that and you'll see one of the most disgraceful acts in history