There are stories that need to be told. Stories of political movements, of ideas, of people who believed in something. Some of those stories are widely known, while others, like Milk's, aren't, or, at least, I didn't know it before watching the movie. Taking on such a job is, therefore, doubly commendable but, at the same time, doubly challenging. This movie did this job brilliantly.
Firstly, Sean Penn is great in his Oscar-worthy performance as politician and gay rights activist Harvey Milk. He is able to show a variety of emotion throughout the film, from delight and conviction to guilt and sorrow. He refuses to portray Milk as a hero, managing to show him as a normal human who did what he though just.
The supporting cast is good, with Brolin portraying a deeply flawed Dan White and Emile Hirsch, as well as James Franco, having their opportunities to shine as supporting characters.
What sets "Milk" apart from other movies based on true stories is its extreme effort in the pursuit of historical precision. There is no idealisation, the supporting cast is made of good, but far from perfect, people. The commitment to realism is also shown in a couple of scenes (the appearance of the opera and the climax), where Dustin Lance Black's screenplay manages to use actual events in Milk's life for dramatic purposes, without needing to come up with anything fictional for the sake of entertainment.
Firstly, Sean Penn is great in his Oscar-worthy performance as politician and gay rights activist Harvey Milk. He is able to show a variety of emotion throughout the film, from delight and conviction to guilt and sorrow. He refuses to portray Milk as a hero, managing to show him as a normal human who did what he though just.
The supporting cast is good, with Brolin portraying a deeply flawed Dan White and Emile Hirsch, as well as James Franco, having their opportunities to shine as supporting characters.
What sets "Milk" apart from other movies based on true stories is its extreme effort in the pursuit of historical precision. There is no idealisation, the supporting cast is made of good, but far from perfect, people. The commitment to realism is also shown in a couple of scenes (the appearance of the opera and the climax), where Dustin Lance Black's screenplay manages to use actual events in Milk's life for dramatic purposes, without needing to come up with anything fictional for the sake of entertainment.