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English    Feb 20, 2009 (USA)

Verdict: Super Hit Movie. Must watch!!
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76

Critics Rating
3.9
4 reviews
User Rating
3.7
29 reviews
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Story


Milk is a 2009 Hollywood biopic,drama film released on Feb 20, 2009. The film is directed by Gus Van Sant, produced by Bruce Cohen.

Milk opens with archival footage of police raiding gay bars and arresting patrons during the 1950s and 1960s, followed by Dianne Feinstein's November 27, 1978 announcement to the press that Supervisor Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone have been assassinated. Milk is seen recording his will throughout the film, nine days (November 18, 1978) before the assassinations. The film then flashes back to New York City in 1970, the eve of Milk's 40th birthday and his first meeting with his much younger lover, Scott Smith.

Unsatisfied with his life and in need of a change, Milk and his Smith decide to move to San Francisco in the hope of finding larger acceptance of their relationship. They open Castro Camera in the heart of Eureka Valley, a working class neighborhood in the process of evolving into a predominantly gay neighborhood known as The Castro. Frustrated by the bigotry and oppression they encounter in the once Irish-Catholic neighborhood, Milk utilizes his background as a businessman to become a gay activist, eventually becoming a mentor for Cleve Jones. Early on, Smith serves as Milk's campaign manager, but his frustration grows with Milk's obsessive devotion to politics, and he leaves him. Milk later meets Jack Lira, a sweet-natured but unbalanced young man. As with Smith, however, Lira cannot tolerate Milk's devotion to political activism, and eventually hangs himself.

After two unsuccessful political campaigns in 1973 and 1975 to become a city supervisor and a third in 1976 for the California State Assembly, Milk finally wins a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977 for District 5. His victory makes him the first openly gay man to be voted into major public office in the United States. Milk subsequently meets fellow Supervisor Dan White, a Vietnam veteran and former police officer and firefighter. White, who is politically and socially conservative, has a difficult relationship with Milk. He has a growing resentment for Milk, largely due to the attention paid to Milk by the press and his colleagues.

Milk and White forge a complex working relationship. Milk is invited to, and attends, the christening of White's first child, and White asks for Milk's assistance in preventing a psychiatric hospital from opening in White's district, possibly in exchange for White's support of Milk's citywide gay rights ordinance. When Milk fails to support White, White feels betrayed, and ultimately becomes the sole vote against the gay rights ordinance. Milk also launches an effort to defeat Proposition 6, an initiative on the California state ballot in November 1978. Sponsored by John Briggs, a conservative state legislator from Orange County, Proposition 6 seeks to ban gays and lesbians (in addition to anyone who supports them) from working in California's public schools. It is also part of a nationwide conservative movement that starts with the successful campaign headed by Anita Bryant and her organization Save Our Children in Dade County, Florida to repeal a local gay rights ordinance. On November 7, 1978, after working tirelessly against Proposition 6, Milk and his supporters rejoice in the wake of its defeat. The increasingly unstable White is in favor of a supervisor pay raise, but does not get much support, and shortly after supporting the Proposition, resigns from the Board. He later changes his mind and asks the city to rescind his decision. Mayor George Moscone denies his request, after having been lobbied by Milk to do so.

On the morning of November 27, 1978, White enters San Francisco City Hall through a basement window in order to conceal a gun from metal detectors. He requests another meeting with Moscone, who rebuffs his request for re-appointment. Enraged, White shoots Moscone and then Milk. The film suggests that Milk believed that White might be a closeted gay man.[1]

The film ends with an aerial shot of the candlelight vigil held by thousands for Milk and Moscone throughout the streets of the city.

Check out this page for more updates on Milk.

Cast & Crew


Diego Luna

Diego Luna

Jack Lira

James Franco

James Franco

Scott Smith

Josh Brolin

Josh Brolin

Dan White

Sean Penn

Sean Penn

Harvey Milk

Emile Hirsch

Emile Hirsch

Cleve Jones

Alison Pill

Alison Pill

Anne Kronenberg

Photo Gallery


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Reviews for Milk


Rajeev Masand

4.0

Rajeev Masandibnlive.com

Milk, directed by Gus Van Sant, is a conventional but nevertheless daring film about America's first openly gay elected politician Harvey Milk. That role is played by Sean Penn, w..

full review
Nikhat Kazmi

4.0

Nikhat KazmiTimes of India

Brokeback Mountain may have come and gone, winning Oscars for its gay heroes and it's paean to sexual liberty. Just as 30 years may have passed since the assassination of gay acti..

full review
Elvis D'Silva

4.0

Elvis D'Silvarediff.com

The history of Hollywood is littered with tales of personal projects that filmmakers obsessed over for years (sometimes decades) only to have people wondering what all the fuss wa..

full review
Johnson Thomas

3.5

Johnson ThomasDNA India

There have been many illustrations of Harvey Milk's life including books, a documentary by Rob Epstein, a soap opera by Stewart Wallace and now Milk, a biopic about the first open..

full review

All Critic Reviews (4)

  • movielover4

    4.0

    Super Hit Movie

    movielover4, 9 years ago
    Super hit movie. I loved everything about this movie.

Milk Movie Wiki


This page provides latest and updated information about Milk (2009) movie which released on Feb 20, 2009. Milk (2009) is directed by , produced by , starring .We have also provided 8 trailers and videos, 0 photos, 29 user reviews, and 4 critic reviews.Milk (2009) has received 3.7 rating from user reviews.The movie has received 3.9 rating from critic reviews. The overall rating of Milk (2009) is 76 and movie is 3.8.Milk (2009) has won 0.002 crore awards.You can review, like, dislike this movie and also can add to favorites. You can also find information on showtimes, CDs, DVDs, online rental, online free watching.

Milk Keywords


Milk, Biopic, Drama, Hollywood, 2009, Milk movie reviews

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