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Penn is the marquee acting performance here, but the talented actors who fill out the supporting cast should also be noted. Playing Milk's various lovers/activist staffers is a who's who of young Hollywood stars—including James Franco, Emile Hirsch, and Diego Luna, all of whom are straight. They fill the roles well, though they tend to over-emphasize gay stereotypes; Luna, in particular, plays it a little too flamboyant, but Franco comes across very sympathetically and played-down.

Josh Brolin as Dan White

Fresh off his turn as George W. Bush in Oliver Stone's W, Josh Brolin delivers an impressively subtle performance as Milk's awkward political foil/friend and ultimate assassin. White, a pasty, blue-collar, homophobic Catholic, has some serious psychological issues of which Brolin and Van Sant wisely provide only a glimpse. He could have easily been turned into the typical "crazy Christian villain" stereotype, but Van Sant shows restraint by insisting on a fair portrayal.

As compelling as the acting and story are, Milk's chief fault is—ironically—its conventionality. Perhaps because Van Sant has proven himself to be one of America's most creative, visionary directors (with almost high art tendencies—see Paranoid Park), the straightforward style he employs here is somewhat of a disappointment. Here and there we see splashes of color or operatic flourishes (as in a scene of Milk attending a performance of Puccini's Tosca), but by and large it is noticeably uninteresting from a stylistic point of view. Everything is well-crafted—from Danny Elfman's score to Harris Savides' cinematography—but it is all a little too safe. Van Sant is back in Finding Forrester mode here.

In any case, Milk achieves what it sets out to do, telling an inspiring tale of one man's quest to legitimize his identity, to give hope to his community. I'm not sure how well it'll play outside of big cities, or if it will sway any opinions on hot-button political issues, but it gives a valiant, empathetic go of it.

Talk About It

1. Does this film make you more or less sympathetic to the gay fight for rights?
   
   
2. There are some "Christian" characters in the film who argue against homosexuality in rude, demeaning ways. How can Christians articulate disapproval of that lifestyle in a loving and charitable way?
   
   
3. As a Christian, how would you engage a person like Harvey Milk if you could meet him today?
   
   

The Family Corner

Milk is rated R for language, some sexual content and brief violence. It is a film about homosexual activism, and as such, there are a lot of gay characters and activities. There are numerous scenes of men kissing or in bed together, though there is no explicit sex. There is a scene of suicide by hanging, and a few brief scenes of gun violence. There is a fair share of offensive language and sexual innuendos as well. Though the film is not gratuitous or exploitative, it is inappropriate for children, and only for mature and discerning adults.

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