Milk

Tonight I went to Oklahoma City to attend a special advanced screening of Gus Van Sant's film Milk about the life of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay politician elected to public office. I believe the film starts this Friday. Go see it.

Usually, I'm a little turned off by biopics because of the lack of engaging narrative, but Milk not only has a strong narrative arch, it has the steady building level of conflict necessary for any successful plot. If you're familiar with the story of Milk's assassination (which I was going into it) you can feel it building to that moment. And if you aren't familiar with the story, have no fear -- I didn't reveal anything about the ending that isn't revealed in the opening scene of the movie, which shows actual news footage from after the murder.

The performances are poignant and Oscar-worthy. Sean Penn plays one of the greatest parts of his career, and he has played a lot of brilliant characters. Josh Brolin makes Dan White, Milk's conservative antagonist, both inherently sympathetic and frightening. Emile Hirsch and James Franco (who I've never liked in a movie until this one) both shine in their supporting roles as members of Milk's activist circle.

Van Sant's direction, which, as always, becomes somewhat overwrought, works well in the context of the film, though at times becomes a little distracting. And there are a few overly-sentimental moments, but I think Van Sant is making a conscious decision toward sentimentality because of the political ramifications of the film.

And ultimately, that's why you must see this film. While it will garner a lot of Oscar buzz (and should win numerous awards, including at least the nomination for Best Picture if not the award itself) the political implications of this story make it noteworthy, especially with the recent Proposition 8 debacle in California. Milk's story is a cornerstone of the gay rights movement, and in this era of ever-growing moral backlash toward homosexuals, this is an important and powerful film. See it as soon as you can. And if you want company, I will be glad to see it again.