MILK

Director: Gus Van Sant

Stars: Sean Penn, James Franco, Josh Brolin, Emile Hirsch, Diego Luna, Alison Pill, Joseph Cross, Lucas Grabeel, Victor Garber

Year: 2008

Rating: R

All the hype is true: Milk is an authentic, moving, and very humane film, beautifully written by Dustin Lance Black and skillfully directed by Gus Van Sant ... the tentpole for which lands on the shoulders of Sean Penn and Josh Brolin, who both turn in Oscar-worthy performances. The cast of Milk, in fact, is a huge reason the films works - is engaging and riveting from beginning to end. James Franco, Emile Hirsch, Diego Luna, Alison Pill, Joseph Cross, and even High School Musical alum Lucas Grabeel - all are at the top of their game here, each only adding to the heartbeat that gives this biopic its soul.

Real news footage, interspersed throughout, helps to give the film its 1970's feel as we first meet Harvey Milk (Penn) on his fortieth birthday. He finds a new boyfriend, Scott (James Franco), to celebrate with, and talks Scott into coming along with him when he moves to San Francisco to seek a new life. Once in the city, Milk learns that his new home is both the haven and hell for the GLBT community, and strives to make a change by speaking out for the rights of people who are "different" - but no less deserving of respect and their right to live and love. There are many in San Francisco who disagree with Harvey Milk, of course - and even in this film, set over thirty years ago, its chilling to see and hear some of the same homophobic slurs used even to this day - but soon Milk becomes somewhat of a local celebrity ... and becomes more and more of a threat to conservatives and right-wing Christians and Anita Bryant alike, as his popularity in the community only grows.

As Harvey fights the fight, gaining in supporters and strength, all the anti-gay hostility pointed against him can be summed up in the paranoid mind of Dan White (Brolin), a fellow politico who sees Milk as his biggest threat, both professionally and (in time) personally. As White sees Milk's message getting more and more popular in his city - as the GLBT community takes to the streets in support of its hero, an icon for change and basic human rights - its White who begins to unravel, deciding on a course of action that, in the end, only made Milk and his message that much more relevant.

It can't be said enough how human and well-acted this film is, from everyone involved in the cast. Like individual pieces of a puzzle only working with each other to create the total, perfect picture, each performance is first-rate and riveting to watch. In particular, James Franco's performance is so subtly layered, so really and sympathetic and compelling, you can see why Harvey Milk fell in love with Scott after just one night.

A terrific film with Penn (turning in a careful, understated and truly chameleon-like performance - maybe the best of his career) at its center, Milk is one of those films that should be seen by everyone - and should be studied in acting classes for caliber of its talent. Not one frame is wasted of one of the top-ten films released in 2009, a "must-have" for the DVD library of anyone who calls themselves a lover of film. ****1/2 - Reel Awesome-Reel Must-See