Gus Van Sant's "Milk," which charts the heartbreaking, yet inspiring life of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in the United States, has successfully reinvented the biopic.
Over the past five years, Van Sant has been on a morbid, experimental indie kick with the Kurt Cobain reinterpretation "Last Days;" the lost-in-the-snowy-forest, profound albeit pretentious "Gerry" and the minimalist high school shooting story "Elephant." Every so often, though, Van Sant signs onto more mainstream projects including "Good Will Hunting" and "Finding Forrester," perhaps in an effort to attain larger audiences or to fund his divisive experimental work.
With "Milk," though, Van Sant has discovered a sublime balance of his two contrasting film aesthetic and narrative techniques. "Milk" meshes footage of 1970s San Francisco gay rights riots and demonstrations with cinematic accounts of Milk's campaign and personal life, rendering the film authentic and intimate.
The film begins with jaded Harvey Milk (Sean Penn) living in New York City and questioning what he's contributed to a society he finds unjust. After meeting and falling in love with young, kindred spirit Scott Smith (James Franco), Milk moves to San Francisco and after quickly diving into the world of gay rights and activism, he discovers his vehicle for change: politics.
The most effective element of "Milk" is its inclusive spirit. Rather than solely addressing gay rights issues plaguing San Francisco and the nation as a whole, Van Sant poses an all-encompassing human rights agenda. Milk recruits Cleve Jones (Emile Hirsch) as his protegé, a young man who moved to San Francisco to escape the homophobia of his hometown, lending to his three campaigns a youthful vigor.
As the titular protagonist, Penn is an utter revelation, easily topping his Oscar-winning performance in Clint Eastwood's "Mystic River." He assumes his role with reckless abandon, fusing Milk's trademark sarcastic sense of humor with passionate manifesto speeches. When Milk finally wins the election and becomes a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977, the film unearths the nation's inherent, intolerant fear of gays in power. Despite the adversity Milk encounters while striving to pass human rights legislations, he remains dedicated to the cause and expands his support base through the inclusion of all oppressed minority groups. Although Penn is likely to attain the bulk of the film's praise, Franco's powerful, quietly devastating performance as Milk's supporting lover steals the show. Franco's uninhibited turn as Smith illustrates the isolation he feels while playing second in Milk's life to his activist duties and the complexities of keeping love afloat during a campaign.
The film's relevance is undeniable as a result of the passing of Proposition 8 in California and the ensuing protests, yet Van Sant's portrait of Milk isn't one jaded and burdened with pessimism, but rather, just the opposite. More than anything, "Milk" is a vibrant love letter to the human spirit - one that poses the inspirational message that dedication, passion and drive lead to true change. Even after Milk and Mayor George Moscone (Victor Garber) die at the hands of their former colleague, the bigoted Dan White (Josh Brolin), "Milk" retains its motivating rhetoric, presenting surrender and silence as dangerous perpetrators of injustice.
Although it could have benefited from some additional editing, the film is admirably radical in its message and clever in its composition. With "Milk," Van Sant has truly honed his finest strengths as a filmmaker and he's crafted a truly moving film of rich poignancy - a stirring powerhouse and a strong call to action.
You can reach this staff writer at dsheldon@theeagleonline.com.
