Milk – 2.25 stars

Sean Penn notwithstanding (it’s a genuine and moving performance), I don’t think it is a good sign when you begin to hope for the assassination just to break the monotony of The Life of Christ in the Castro.  Harvey Milk was a much more fascinating and human figure.  He deserved better than this gauzy, hackneyed, preachy tribute.  And why they gave a best supporting actor nod to Josh Brolin for his portrayal of assassin Dan White is a mystery.  Brolin was very brief on screen and when he appeared, he essentially played like a man with a migraine.