Gus Van Sant’s latest is another great film for the director and is one of the best biopics in recent memory.
Harvey Milk (Sean Penn) was a closet homosexual in New York in the early seventies, picking up men on the Subway, one of which happens to change the direction of his life. Upon picking up Scott Smith (James Franco) on the eve of his fortieth the two bond and decide to move California and settle in the Castro district of San Francisco which was quickly becoming the gay hub of the city. Upon opening their own camera shop, deters to their shop because of their sexual orientation prompt Milk to become politically active at trying to get favorable treatment and rights acknowledged for openly gay people in San Francisco. As he builds his campaign, more and more fresh faces begin coming into his camera store/campaign office, and while originally unsuccessful, Milk quickly becomes one of the most respected voices for the gay cause in San Francisco. [Read more...]