As a fan of Gus Van Sant's 2008 film Milk, I'm pretty aware of Harvey Milk's life and influence. I wasn't aware that Milk is pretty much a film adaptation of The Times of Harvey Milk. With a blend of archive footage and interviews, this documentary works at lightning speed pace within the 84 minutes for direct information and maximum emotional impact. It's got highly involving moments, truly allowing the importance of the events and the man to shine through, even if you don't live in California or aren't homosexual. Whilst it's often tearjerky, including scenes of the interviewees weeping, it's never overtly sentimental and always remains engaging. Although it's often abrupt at times, Harvey's death and reaction coming in around the hour mark, it's fascinating to explore the aftermath, especially with Dan White's infamous "twinkie defense." It gave me a new perspective on Harvey Milk as well, particularly in how he was a man who wasn't taken very seriously finally being taken seriously - an aspect of which Sean Penn's immediately celebrated Harvey Milk didn't live up to. Only with tragedy does the party and potential truly mean something. Terrific documentary filmmaking.
9/10
9/10