Milk

Solid biographical drama about San Francisco supervisor and gay rights activist Harvey Milk (a fine Sean Penn), his tumultuous rise to office after three failed runs for city and state office, and his 1978 assassination by deranged fellow supervisor Dan White (Josh Brolin). Director Gus Van Sant brings an almost cinema verite style to the docudrama, while the strong cast includes James Franco, Emile Hirsch, Alison Pill, Victor Garber and Denis O'Hare. Brief scenes of homosexual activity including male kissing and nongraphic encounters, rear male nudity, murder, suicide, and some rough language, crude expressions and profanity. L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. (R) 2008

Milk (Full Review)

"Milk" (Focus) is a solid biographical drama about San Francisco supervisor and gay rights activist Harvey Milk (Sean Penn), his tumultuous rise to the supervisor post after three failed runs for city and state office, and his 1978 assassination -- along with Mayor George Moscone (Victor Garber) -- by deranged fellow supervisor Dan White (Josh Brolin).

The film concentrates more on Milk's activities in the public arena than on his private life, though it begins with him celebrating his 40th birthday in New York, and deciding to relocate to San Francisco with his partner, Scott Smith (James Franco). They open a camera shop on Castro Street, and Milk's political aspirations crystalize as he becomes increasingly interested in fighting for equal rights for homosexuals.

Director Gus Van Sant effectively brings an almost cinema verite style (cinematography by Harris Savides on location in the Bay Area) to this docudrama, and several of Milk's colleagues play themselves or appear briefly on camera. Dustin Lance Black's screenplay is, by all accounts, scrupulously accurate.

Penn is especially fine, and Brolin is scarily intense as the Catholic White. (We're shown a lengthy baptism of White's baby, with Milk ironically the only invited outsider.) The strong cast also includes Emile Hirsch as activist Cleve Jones, Alison Pill as campaign manager Anne Kronenberg, and Denis O'Hare as California State Sen. John Briggs, who clashes with Milk over allowing the issue of allowing gays to teach in schools.

The film contains brief scenes of homosexual activity including male kissing and nongraphic encounters, rear male nudity, murder, suicide, and some rough languar, crude expressions and profanity. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted. Under 17 requres accompanying parent or adult guardian.

Movies have been evaluated by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishop's Office for Film and Broadcasting according to artistic merit and moral suitability. The reviews include the USCCB rating, the Motion Picture Association of America rating, and a brief synopsis of the movie.

The classifications are as follows:

• A-I -- general patronage;
• A-II -- adults and adolescents;
• A-III -- adults;
• A-IV**
• L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. L replaces the previous classification, A-IV.
• O -- morally offensive.