Kirk Honeycutt, writing for the Hollywood Reporter:
“Milk” is the first great film to look at civil rights from the perspective of the gay movement. The subject, of course, is the late, charismatic San Francisco gay activist and politician of the 1970s, Harvey Milk, played with extraordinary depth and wisdom by Sean Penn. “Milk” resists bumper-sticker identifications: Yes, it’s a biopic, a love story, a civil rights movie and sharp political and social commentary. But it transcends any single genre as a very human document that touches first and foremost on the need to give people hope.
And Todd McCarthy of Variety:
After five years spent working on the more experimental fringe, Gus Van Sant fluently returns to the relative mainstream with “Milk,” an adroitly and tenderly observed account of the life of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man voted into significant U.S. public office. Smartly handled study of the San Francisco politician’s powerful effect on individuals and society accurately catches a moment in American political life three decades ago, but is most notable for the surprising and entirely winning performance by Sean Penn in the leading role. Almost the definition of a specialized audience film, this Focus release looks to perform strongly in urban and university-adjacent areas but will have trouble crossing over to a public not into gay, political and social-vanguard issues. Commentators will not fail to note certain parallels with the current political season, encapsulated by its hero’s parting line, “You gotta give ‘em hope.”
9 Responses for "Strong Early Word for Milk"
It seems like all Penn all the time here. What does that mean for the Oscar chances of Franco and Brolin?
Milk looks fantastic. Brolin is getting much praise for his role.
Strong early word from HR and Variety. I thougth we were talking about Changeling
This is a great film AND an important film. I’ve never been so (politically) motivated before but as I wrote in my column last week, it’s the (arguably) first and best film about the gay rights movement:
http://www.newyorkcool.com/archives/2008/October/film-Frank_J_Avella.htm
This reminds me of back in the 1990s, with MALCOLM X, which originally was supposed to be shot by the white Norman Jewison. Sure it would have been a fine production, but that material needed a black voice on black history, and imperfect as he is, Spike Lee had the spunk and motivation to pull it off.
With the homosexual Van Sant….this is a story he or Bryan Singer (fellow gay director who had his own Milk biopic in development before Van Sant beat him) or someone of that kin had to tell, and at the right time in American history.
Cannot WAIT for this….#1 anticipated film for me right now…..
I would love to see Brolin recognized. I think the last 2 years for him have been stellar and he deserves to get a nomination for something.
Wow, I am very excited there to read what Frank J. Avella says. I am starting to feel fairly certain that I better make sure to put aside one of those 10 berths in my year-end ten-best list! But I have been entering a number of positive statements about the prospects of this one.
Hmm, maybe I counted this out too quick.
ok i’m curious…
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