Milk

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Milk

R

2008

2h 8m

Biography

Drama

LGBTQ+

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

93%

Tomatometer

241 Reviews

89%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

In 1972, Harvey Milk (Sean Penn) and his then-lover Scott Smith leave New York for San Francisco, with Milk determined to accomplish something meaningful in his life. Settling in the Castro District, he opens a camera shop and helps transform the area into a mecca for gays and lesbians. In 1977, he becomes the nation's first openly gay man elected to a notable public office when he wins a seat on the Board of Supervisors. The following year, Dan White (Josh Brolin) kills Milk in cold blood.

Critics Consensus

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

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Namrata Joshi

Outlook

01/31/2019

3/4

Penn is so well-tuned that not for a minute does his Milk lapse into a caricature.

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Nathan Lee

Film Comment Magazine

03/20/2018

Milk is fortuitously, if inevitably, a movie of its moment.

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David Ansen

Newsweek

02/06/2018

Penn may be the main attraction, but this is very much an ensemble piece. Emile Hirsch, as cheeky street kid turned activist Cleve Jones, Diego Luna as Milk's annoyingly needy, unstable second lover and James Franco's Scott, add to the communal spirit.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Nov 3

4/4

The climactic candlelight vigil -- one of the most stirring sights in 20th century American history -- is so expertly handled that it’s inspiring in both its artistic expression and its emotional impact.

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

03/05/2024

3.5/4

Sean Penn plays Harvey Milk as if overcome by another personality, allowing us to forget there’s an amazing actor at work and simply accept the person as presented.

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Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

04/08/2023

... focuses less on Milk’s triumphs than on his activism: how he shaped a movement and showed gay men and lesbian women all over the country that they could stand up for their rights as a political force.

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Mark C.

@mrpiggy1992 May 21

Best biopic film of 2008

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Stephen C

@bob25009 Mar 1

Academy Award winner in 2009 for Best Actor (Sean Penn, who played the main mayor (pride) leader in San Francisco, California, USA). 81st Annual Academy Awards ceremony.

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Oaklee D

@ODie63 Oct 2

I enjoyed it but I wanted to love it and it just didn't click with me as much as I wanted it too.

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Gareth v

@geewah Aug 9

An impactful, well-acted biopic that honors a pivotal figure in civil rights history.

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Adam Y

@Adyacht Jul 9

Penn burrows inside his character, capturing not only Milk's Long Island Jewish intonations but also the intensity of his beliefs and the particular mix of fear and desire through which he viewed the world.

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Jared M.

@Jed76 Jul 1

Great performance by Penn!

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Gus Van Sant

Director

Sean Penn

Harvey Milk

Emile Hirsch

Cleve Jones

Josh Brolin

Dan White

Diego Luna

Jack Lira

James Franco

Scott Smith

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Synopsis

In 1972, Harvey Milk (Sean Penn) and his then-lover Scott Smith leave New York for San Francisco, with Milk determined to accomplish something meaningful in his life. Settling in the Castro District, he opens a camera shop and helps transform the area into a mecca for gays and lesbians. In 1977, he becomes the nation's first openly gay man elected to a notable public office when he wins a seat on the Board of Supervisors. The following year, Dan White (Josh Brolin) kills Milk in cold blood.

Director: Gus Van Sant
Producer: Dan Jinks, Bruce Cohen
Distributor: Focus Features
Production Co: Jinks/Cohen Company, Groundswell Productions
Rating: R (Language|Brief Violence|Some Sexual Content)
Genre: Biography, Drama, LGBTQ+
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 26, 2008, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 15, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA): $31.8M
Runtime: 2h 8m