“Without hope, life’s not worth living.”
That line, from the film Milk, perfectly embodies the film’s message.
Directed by the visionary director Gus Van Sant, Milk is the story of the first openly gay man elected to public office. Sean Penn plays Harvey Milk, a San Franciscan politician trying to start a revolution for gays all over the country. With help from his partner, played by James Franco, and the rest of his friends, including Cleve Jones, played brilliantly by Emile Hirsch, Milk slowly begins to make a name for himself in the city.
As this movement begins making way, roadblocks in the form of bans of gays in the work place. Counties in Florida and Kansas begin implementing laws allowing the firing of openly gay people based on their sexual orientation.
Despite these hinderances and after many failed attempts to be elected to public office, Milk finally gets elected to the Board of Supervisors due to zoning changes. It is there where he meets fellow supervisor Dan White, played by Josh Brolin. Brolin plays the character with great restraint. With anyone else, the anger brooding inside this man could have been much more showy, but not with Brolin. Brolin has emerged over the last year as one of the leading actors in Hollywood. First with No Country for Old Men and now this, he has proven that he has the skills to be in the same league as Philip Seymour Hoffman and the star of Milk, Penn.
Penn plays the title character much like you would expect. He is perfect, and an Oscar nomination is a no-brainer. It was a flawless performance, and easily one Penn’s best.
The movie could have easily fallen into preach-mode, but it didn’t. Instead, it took its time to tell the story on its own terms. A lot happened in San Francisco during this time period, and the the film doesn’t want to rush it. Yes, that is a very good thing. Van Sant has pieced together a great biopic that I really hope connects with people.
When the movie ended I had the feeling that it was a bit anticlimactic, but after thinking about it for the last few hours I have changed my mind. The film’s ending is made clear in the first few minutes, and the feeling of what is coming is constant throughout the entire film. It isn’t supposed to be a twist, and it isn’t supposed to be shocking, but a reminder. A reminder of what people have gone through to get our country where it is today with gays. It is a reminder that even though we live in the year 2008, things still aren’t perfect. A reminder that our country has had many dark moments. Dark moments that teach us to be better people, but, more specifically, better Americans. It doesn’t make the moments all right, but we can’t forget what people have gone through to get us where we are today.
There is a scene in the movie when Milk is opposing the same proposition that was passed in Florida and Kansas, where he says that as long as enough voters know someone who is gay then this proposition will not pass. I think the same rule can be applied to seeing this movie. If you even know someone who is gay then do not pass up seeing this film. It is relevant, and my only wish is that it could have been released before the November 4th elections. Maybe things would have turned out differently for Proposition 8.
“It is not necessary to change. Survival is not mandatory.”
–W. Edwards Deming
