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Movies / On DVD / Milk
Milk

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Milk (2008)

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Reviews Counted:12

Fresh:12

Rotten:0

Average Rating:8/10

Consensus: Anchored by Sean Penn's powerhouse performance, Milk is a triumphant account of America's first openly gay man elected to public office.

Rated: 15 [See Full Rating] for language, some sexual content and brief violence.

Runtime: 2 hrs 9 mins

Genre: Dramas

Theatrical Release:23-01-2009

Synopsis: 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... 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. --© Focus Features [More]

Starring: Sean Penn, Emile Hirsch, Josh Brolin, Diego Luna

Starring: Sean Penn, Emile Hirsch, Josh Brolin, Diego Luna, James Franco

Director: Gus Van Sant

Director: Gus Van Sant
Screenwriter: Dustin Lance Black
Producer: Dan Jinks, Bruce Cohen
Composer: Danny Elfman
Studio: Focus Features

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Reviews for Milk

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1 - 12 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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Milk thoroughly deserves all of the press ink that will doubtless be spilt over it. Wear your ‘Vote Penn’ Oscar pin with pride.

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
01/23/09
Colin Kennedy
Colin Kennedy
Empire Magazine
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The story is sad, but the mood is jubilant and the energy relentless.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
01/23/09
Dave Calhoun
Dave Calhoun
Time Out
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As a portrait of Harvey Milk, Van Sant's film is a sincere work, bolstered by an unquestionably outstanding turn by Sean Penn. While some of the other actors don't match up, this is a minor quibble in an otherwise impressive piece.

Full Review Source: Channel 4 Film | comment Comment
01/23/09
James Mottram
James Mottram
Channel 4 Film
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Van Sant’s skill as a film-maker is showcased here to inspiring effect. Rarely has a lesson in political history felt so involving and alive. What’s more, it’s a genuinely important film that could not be better timed.

Full Review Source: Times [UK] | comment Comment
01/23/09
Wendy Ide
Wendy Ide
Times [UK]
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I felt that Milk is a slightly staid film, closer to the middle-of-the-road side of Gus van Sant's film-making persona, the bland side that made his treacly Sean Connery film Finding Forrester.

Full Review Source: Guardian [UK] | comment 2 Comments
01/23/09
Peter Bradshaw
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian [UK]
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It’s a wonderfully evocative film, radiating with warmth and humour, bristling too with righteous rage.

Full Review Source: Daily Telegraph | comment Comment
01/23/09
Sukhdev Sandhu
Sukhdev Sandhu
Daily Telegraph
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Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
01/23/09
Empire Magazine
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This film wants us to understand both how far we've come as a society and that it is still not far enough.

Full Review Source: Los Angeles Times | comment 16 Comments
11/26/08
Kenneth Turan
Kenneth Turan
Los Angeles Times
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Harvey Milk was an intriguing, inspiring figure. And Milk is a marvel.

Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
11/26/08
A.O. Scott
A.O. Scott
New York Times
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Sean Penn amazes me.

Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | comment 13 Comments
11/25/08
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
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The first great film to look at civil rights from the perspective of the gay movement.

Full Review Source: Hollywood Reporter | comment 17 Comments
11/03/08
Kirk Honeycutt
Kirk Honeycutt
Hollywood Reporter
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An adroitly and tenderly observed account of the life of Harvey Milk.

Full Review Source: Variety | comment 6 Comments
11/03/08
Todd McCarthy
Todd McCarthy
Variety
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1 - 12 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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Latest News for Milk

March 09, 2009: RT on DVD: Rachel Getting Married, Milk Lead Super Fresh New Releases
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February 01, 2009: Slumdog's Danny Boyle Wins DGA Award
Danny Boyle takes home another win for Best Director from the Director's Guild of America -- could Oscar gold be just around the corner? See who else was nominated this year in... More...

January 27, 2009: Milk Among GLAAD Nominees Opens in new window
"Milk" has been a favorite on the awards circuit this year, and its hot streak has been extended courtesy of the GLAAD Media Awards, where it will compete in the Outstanding... More...

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