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Milk (2008)

Milk Poster

Movie Info


Genre

Biography, Drama

Release Date

November 26, 2008 (Limited)

MPAA Rating

R

Duration

128 min.

Production Budget

$15 millions

Studio

Focus Features

Official Site

click here

REVIEWS RATE:  Critics  Go! Watch this movie. You'll regret if not seeing it.    Readers  5 of 5 [Rate It]

Cast and Crew


Director

Gus Van Sant

Producer

Dan Jinks, Bruce Cohen, Michael London

Screenwriter

Dustin Lance Black

Starring

Movie Story


His life changed history. His courage changed lives.

In 1977, Harvey Milk was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, becoming the first openly gay man to be voted into public office in America. His victory was not just a victory for gay rights; he forged coalitions across the political spectrum. From senior citizens to union workers, Harvey Milk changed the very nature of what it means to be a fighter for human rights and became, before his untimely death in 1978, a hero for all Americans. Sean Penn stars as Harvey Milk under the direction of Gus Van Sant in Milk, filmed on location in San Francisco from an original screenplay by Dustin Lance Black, and produced by Dan Jinks and Bruce Cohen.

Milk charts the last eight years of Harvey Milk's life. While living in New York City, he turns 40. Looking for more purpose, Milk and his lover Scott Smith (James Franco) relocate to San Francisco, where they found a small business, Castro Camera, in the heart of a working-class neighborhood. With his beloved Castro neighborhood and beautiful city empowering him, Milk surprises Scott and himself by becoming an outspoken agent for change.

With vitalizing support from Scott and from new friends like young activist Cleve Jones (Emile Hirsch), Milk plunges headfirst into the choppy waters of politics. Bolstering his public profile with humor, Milk's actions speak even louder than his gift-of-gab words.

When Milk is elected supervisor for the newly zoned District 5, he tries to coordinate his efforts with those of another newly elected supervisor, Dan White (Josh Brolin). But as White and Milk's political agendas increasingly diverge, their personal destinies tragically converge.

Milk's platform was and is one of hope - a hero's legacy that resonates in the here and now.

Movie Stills (24 photos)


Sean Penn stars as Harvey Milk and Diego Luna stars as Jack Lira in Focus Features' Milk (2008)
Alison Pill stars as Anne Kronenberg and Emile Hirsch stars as Cleve Jones in Focus Features' Milk (2008). Photo credit by Phil Bray.

Reader's Reviews


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Powerful! Sad! Can't miss the parallels of today. 30 years and things haven't changed very much.

posted by frankiecue on Dec 01, 2008
 
 

PREMIERE PHOTO

Sean Penn, Robin Wright Penn
"Milk" Hollywood Premiere - Arrivals
Nov 13, 2008
Sean Penn, Robin Wright Penn
"Milk" Hollywood Premiere - Arrivals
Nov 13, 2008

MOVIE REVIEWS BY CRITICS

“..comforting, familiar, educative..”
by Shawn Levy [Portland Oregonian]
“..powerful drama stirringly told..”
by Claudia Puig [USA Today]
“..fascinating, multi-layered history lesson..”
by A.O. Scott [NY Times]