Brilliant acting brings gay-rights pioneer to life in inspirational 'Milk'

"A homosexual with power. That's scary," joked Harvey Milk, who in the late 1970s became the first openly gay man elected to public office.

His quote reflected the feelings of many Americans just one generation ago, even in the gay-friendly city of San Francisco where Milk was elected to the city's board of supervisors.

In that era, homosexuality was viewed by most people - especially conservative Christians - as a morally corrupt and socially unacceptable lifestyle that posed a threat to their children. As a result, gays faced intense discrimination. Police beat them. Companies fired them. Politicians marginalized them.

Milk set out to change the status quo, organizing this largely closeted and widely feared group and starting a gay-rights movement that spread across the country.

What makes this movie so great, though, is that it's as much about Milk's personal life as his political one, including his tumultuous love relationships and his violent death.

Brilliantly acted and perfectly executed, "Milk" seems particularly timely now that California's Proposition 8 is commanding headlines. Milk's mission, after all, was for homosexuals to stand up for themselves and demand equal rights. Sound familiar?

Director Gus Van Sant ("Good Will Hunting," "Finding Forrester") begins with newspaper headlines and footage of police busting up gay bars in the 1960s and '70s. The men shamefully hide their faces from the camera.

When we meet Milk (Sean Penn, in what will no doubt be an Oscar-nominated performance), he is a gay man living in New York, about to celebrate his 40th birthday. He laments to his new young lover Scott (James Franco) that he hasn't done anything with his life, so the two pack up and move to San Francisco's Castro district, opening up a camera shop that will eventually serve as Milk's political headquarters.

He becomes a political activist, and encounters intense hate and hypocrisy as he struggles to get elected and then rises to political power. Some comments opposing gay rights are so ignorant they're laugh-out-loud funny - including a few by singer Anita Bryant. Milk tries to work with his churchgoing colleague on the board, Dan White (Josh Brolin), but they frequently lock horns.

Through it all, Milk holds steadfast to the cause, even when it harms his personal relationships.

Regardless of how you feel about homosexuality, it's hard not to root for Milk, hail his message of hope and equality, and be inspired by his story.

There are a few short homosexual love scenes that might make heterosexuals shift uncomfortably in their seats, and there's little doubt that the subject matter will keep many people away from the movie theater. But they'll miss out on one of the best films and some of the best acting of the year.

"Milk"

Rating: 4 stars

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

Directed by: Gus Van Sant

Other: A Focus Features release. Rated R for language, some sexual content and brief violence. 127 minutes