First review post.



The first review to be posted, albeit its quite long winded and a bit overly structured (it was written for Total Film) but after taking about a year I've finally posted something. More will come, and hopefully more people will see this page, anyway did you see Milk? I think Mickey Rourke deserved to win the Oscar, Sean Penn was really good, but overall i think The Wrestler was a better role . . . anyway I'm getting sidetracked. Read the review and post things!

Gus Van Sant: art house director turned mainstream director turned well . . . somewhere in between really. Never one to shy away from bringing controversial issues, in particular homosexuality, to the forefront of his films, Van Sant has made a career of his ability to flit seamlessly from avant-garde to mainstream filmmaking, and Milk his latest, is a mix of both.

“My name is Harvey Milk and I’m here to recruit you!” The first openly gay polotitician to be elected into public office and gay rights activist, Milk follows said politicians rise to office, fight against proposition 6 and eventual murder by disgruntled fellow supervisor Dan White. The more publicity Harvey gains the more death threats he receives and pretty soon the cost of equality begins to hit home.

Attempting to show both Harvey the activist and Harvey the man, Van Sant presents for the former, an individual with a thirst for change and a life with purpose (exchanging a ponytail and tie dye for short hair and suits) but sadly the latter feels rather cut short. Harvey’s personal life is reduced to two relationships, presenting the man infamously interested in younger men, into a relatively monogamous bloke.

Sean Penn, known for his deep investment in roles dons a fake nose, denchers and a recreated hairline to aid his portrayal of Harvey Milk, but beyond the makeup manages to capture the qualities of both flamboyance and leadership necessary. Josh Brolin gives a strong and at times humorous performance, as Harvey’s conflicted fellow supervisor turned killer Dan White, in what is proving to be a successful resurgence for the actor. James Franco also stars as Scott Smith Harvey’s first lover, torn apart by the pressures of the campaign trail. Craftily mixing stock news footage with detailed recreations, Van Sant crafts a story about love and death, the best and worst of humanity but most importantly about hope.

****
Final Verdict.
Its cons are easily outweighed by its pros. A strong cast coupled with stellar directing, Milk serves as a compelling memoir of the man and the movement.

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