His life changed history. His courage changed lives.

Before the movie I had heard of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay politician and how he and the Mayor of San Francisco George Moscone were assassinated by Dan White on November 27,1978 and the whole “Twinkie defense” theory. So I was very interested in seeing "Milk" and learning a little bit about the life and times of this famous activist. Milk is a stunning achievement and I love the fact that it manages to make its point without ever being preachy or trite, while remaining as true to the facts as any film bio could ever hope to be. The movie skillfully tells us the story of Milk's rise as a leader in the Castro Gay Community of San Francisco. Gus Van Sant, who directs the movie, shows Milk as a resilient man, an idealist with hope for the future no matter how many times he gets knocked down (and believe me he does get knocked down more than you can imagine). The movie makes him a martyr, but so was Martin Luther King, Gandhi and so many others who defied contemporary morals and ethics.

Sean Penn gives the performance of a lifetime as Harvey Milk and he certainly does deserve that Oscar he won.When I first heard that Sean Penn was playing Harvey Milk, it was hard for me to imagine, but he pulled it off brilliantly. Josh Brolin as Dan White and James Franco as Scott Smith do outstanding acting as well. Josh Brolin was superb as the lonely outcast council member who murders Mr. Milk and Mayor Moscone. James Franco, as Harvey Milk's partner, did a wonderful job showing compassion, limit setting and support for Harvey Milk's endeavors. Even after their relationship ended, he was Milk's unconditional friend.

If there is a villain in the film it is Anita Bryant who had an agenda of prejudice and hate that motivated Milk and his allies. This film gives everything a sense of urgency and intensity, which adds to its power. In the end Milk dies (and we knew that) but what he started and accomplished lives on so the movie does end on a hopeful note. In comparison to life now as opposed to the 70's portrayed in the film, there appears to have been a great amount of progress when it comes to the acceptance of all those who are different. It's a scary thought to know that the denunciation by some, who would like the world to think they lead perfect lives, can bring themselves to sneer or attack another human being because of religion, race, sexual orientation, disability or even one's physical appearance. By the end of the movie you realize that Harvey Milk was just not an activist for the gay community but for all those who have struggled to be heard and accepted. Harvey Milk's life's work can be summed up in two of his famous quotes. “Without hope, life's not worth living.” and “All men and women are created equal. No matter how hard you try, you can never erase those words.”