Van Sant eschews his more eclectic, experimental tendencies in this standard-issue biopic of gay rights activist and San Francisco city supervisor Harvey Milk—which is not to say it isn’t engaging, just unsurprising at every turn. The film is much better in detailing the political issues involved in late-’70s gay activism than it is in dealing with Milk’s personal life, which is given particularly short shrift in the latter portions of the film (a tragic suicide is forgotten nearly as soon as it happen). Nevertheless, the film powerfully captures the aura of the times, and Sean Penn is as charismatic and deeply affecting as you would expect him to be in the title role. (DVD Awards Screener)