"Milk": A Love Story

Thank you so much for writing this. After seeing the movie Saturday night, this same thought struck me. This movie was about falling in love, and how that can start a political battle. I absolutely loved every minute of this movie and felt it was well crafted and beautifully acted. It helped that Franco and Penn, as you said, had tons of chemistry. I've read interviews by both and they seem to have a mutual respect for each other that transcends beyond...just respect. It helps the movie tremendously.

I adored that Dustin Lance Black wrote the screenplay, keeping Scott in Harvey's life after they broke up because if he hadn't, I don't think the story would have meant as much. The literally began with Harvey and Scott so I believe it needed to end with them, and it did. And while it might be historically inaccurate, it is true that Scott went into a severe depression after Harvey's murder and Harvey had made him the executioner of his estate. Which means that most likely, they were still ver much a part of each other's lives.

:)

You are absolutely right about the political and emotional context of MILK weaving together. Furthermore, I think the movie makes a deeper impact of the audience by using a love story. The relationship between Harvey and Scott pulls the audience in even more. You feel their love for each other, their desire for a peaceful life together, and watching their relationship grow makes you feel like you know them. Its putting a face to the problem. Making the audience feel more compassion for the issues facing our society then and now.

I haven't seen it yet but so far i have heard nothing but AMAZING things about it, and now I've decided even if it kills me i will go see it :P It's odd but I've noticed the commercials don't really tell you much about the movie, like until i talked to a friend about it a few days ago I didn't even realize that Harvey Milk is gay. I thought he was just a politician.

"when you're a minority defined by whom you love, falling in love is political."

Precisely.

 

Milk also captures the way you never stop loving someone even after the affair is over. (See also Those Who Love Me Can Take the Train )

 

That's why the ending is true. ad Harvey lived he and Scott would never have gotten toegther again, but in their hearts they were there forever.  

 

An excellent about a wonderful film. Thank you very much.

Christie,

I haven't seen the film yet, but I hope it is as beautifully executed as your review was beautifully written.

The last line really got to me.

I've seen it twice now and, if possible, I like it even more. Franco and Penn are sexy/adorable/real from the first frame and any artistic liberties that might have been taken to enhance the connection of their characters only makes the film stronger as it has Titatic-like elements.

I loved the scene that had Harvey being so intimate and hopeful over the phone as it so involves the audience in rooting for that romantic love that most movies get wrong. I would venture that we root for them as they represent us.

Without giving much away, I'd only modify two scenes in the entire movie which is rare for me. The first is a long scene focusing on the structure that Harvey sees outside right after he is shot and the other is a repetition of a wonderful early scene between Franco and Penn discuss Penn's accomplishments to date at said time. Van Sant may have included that scene twice possibly due to a failure to recognize that it was unnecessary as he, his screenwriter, and all players involved has already succeeded in breaking our hearts at what was and could have been.

I balled both times and it was a little embarrasing, but the movie hit hard as both the epic story and the love story manage to engage the senses by making almost anything seem possible, yet reminding us that a fully lived life will bring huge hurts along the way. Cliche, I know, but this movie is a treat for people who love sweeping love stories and small films, which is quite rare as most fail even when working within one scope.

Guillermo's Media Guillotine: Entertainment, journalism, politics, and popular culture.

http://springintoaction.typepad.com

I saw MILK tonight with a friend and thought I would be seeing it with a primarily gay audience, but that was not the case.  A lot of straight couples were there and applauded at the end of the film.  Applause that is rare these days at the movies. 

I am old enough to remember first hand what impact Harvey Milk had on gay men and women.  Tonight the film brought all that impact back. And also made me see that we need a Harvey Milk to focus us on defeating Prop. 8, just like he did with Prop. 6 back in 1978.  Thirty years and the same bigotry is still rearing it's ugly head.  Time to end it for good!!

This movie neither disappointed nor annoyed me. It was politically dead on, while being inspirational and entertaining and romantic and involving. It did not seem to have the cliches of a gay movie where compromises were made to draw in heterosexuals or an effort was made to represent every faction of the "gay community." Whether the actors were actually gay or not, I'm thrilled that the writing/directing and production team made sure this stayed true to its subject.

Thank you for writing this, it's a really great article! Milk isn't out over here yet, we have to wait until January, but I'm very excited. I'll be there on the opening day, as I was for Brokeback Mountain. I hope this film is an answer to Brokeback, in the way you suggested, that instead of the secrets and deception and silence of Brokeback we have the voice, the action and free expression it seems is present in Milk. I'm very excited and will probably be crying buckets when I finally get to see it.