Viewed in
2009
Premise
Biography of first openly gay California official, Harvey Milk.
Who should watch
Sean Penn fans. Those in the mood for some acting, story-telling and history.
Thoughts
An excellent film propelled by Penn's performance.
Unfortunately for me, I knew nothing about Harvey Milk beforehand, so I did not know how true Penn nor the story was.
He definitely deserved his nomination as best actor. Never was a second where I thought 'it's Sean Penn playing a gay man'. Instead, I saw a charming, resilient, and determined man. I also liked the departure from the typical inverted characters Penn usually plays.
While he was the main man, the film had a very cool cast. I especially liked James Franco and Emile Hirsch's characters. Josh Brolin was solid too.
Overall, the story was very educational and inspiring. Some parts, such as Milk's suffering relationships, felt predictable, but they were all well-done.
Danny Elfman was an unexpected choice for the composer, but he also did an excellent job. His music was able to enhance the scene without being noticed. This might be his most subtle work ever.
While I was on the fence about it being nominated for best picture, I was glad to have watched and met Harvey Milk.
What I would change
Nothing.
