REEL TO REEL: See 'Milk'

Director Gus Van Sant’s quality filmmaking has struck again with the thought-provoking biopic “Milk.”

“Milk” tells the story of the rise and fall of America’s first openly gay elected official, Harvey Milk. With an all-star cast including Sean Penn, James Franco, Emile Hirsch and Josh Brolin, this film delivers an eye-opening account of the fight for gay rights in the 1970s.

The film begins with stock footage from a grim time in American history, when homosexuality was outlawed and segregated from the public. Viewers are bombarded with pictures of police breaking down doors of gay clubs and raiding, beating and arresting homosexuals on the basis of their sexual orientation.

Introduce Harvey Milk.

The biopic doesn’t start with his birth, but instead on his 40th birthday, the fateful day he met Scott Smith (Franco) and was inspired by his willingness to live openly with his sexuality.

Together they made the trek to San Francisco, a place they believed to be tolerant of sexual orientation. But they were met with opposition and discrimination after they open a small camera shop.

Dubbed the king of Castro, Milk focused on fighting for minorities, predominantly focusing on the elderly, the black community and most importantly, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender community that had recently adopted the Castro district as its safe haven. After a number of setbacks that struck the community, Milk decided it was time to run for the California State Assembly. He began with his now famous catch phrase: “My name is Harvey Milk, and I want to recruit you.”

Van Sant also focused the last half of the movie on Milk’s shining accomplishment: his devotion to defeating Proposition 6.

Proposition 6, named the Briggs Initiative, called for the firing of any homosexual teacher or possibly any teacher who supported them, automatic under state law. The law was passed in several different states and was expected to pass in California 60 to 30.

Penn, starring as Milk, delivered the most tear-inducing speech of the movie,  made on the first ever Gay Freedom Day in San Francisco in 1978.

Penn channeled Milk in every scene, adopting Milk’s Long Island accent and possessing a charisma that emanated off the screen. Franco also stole the screen as Milk’s partner Smith, giving the movie a heartwarming love story and a motivational call-to-arms against discrimination.

Even though the movie takes place in the 1970s, the story holds relevance in today’s society. In the wake of Proposition 8, one may wonder how far we have really come to reaching equality.

As an openly gay filmmaker, Van Sant has made a poignant film that is sure to invoke a fighting spirit in all of us.

Directed by: Gus Van Sant
Distributed by: Focus Features
Movie: Milk
Grade: A+

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