An open letter to Mr. Sean Penn
Dear Mr. Penn,
I have not always been a fan of yours; sure, Jeff Spicoli was genius as was you turn as the mentally unendowed father in I am Sam (but hey, I am a Beatles fan, so that only helped your cause). Hell I even liked your evil character in Mystic Pizza - you can play sleazy.
But, for every good role you have (and you mentioned this in your award ceremony acceptance speech), you make yourself hard to like. Marrying Madonna? Your TOO Far left wing fanaticism (I mean, seriously dude, you and Michale Moore are making the rest of us libs look bad - Thank God the Republican party doesn't know how to keep it in their pants lately)?
Then I see the movie, Into the Wild. Mr. Penn, this movie changed the way I am thinking about things lately - an if a movie can do that sir, than you have built a masterpiece. Truly, not as good as the book, but I have ALWAYS been a Jon Krakauer fan. But you captured the essence. I was also not an Emile Hirsch fan, seeing him only in Alpha Dog - but between his college graduate, innocence waiting to be spent acting and your direction, you caught a sole trapped by the one quote in the movie that meant more than anything, Happiness is good only when shared.
The tragedy of the movie was that I knew how it would end, knowing the true story of Chris, but you gave even that dignity, and I applaud you and Emile. Emile, nearly giving up as much body weight as a Christian Bale Friday night, took the role to the limit. Please send my thanks along, as I know you are buddies.
You did it Mr. Penn, this is your opus and I beg you to put the shovel down, stop doing whatever you are doing and fade away into the sunset. Go. Be brave and live a long, fulfilled life. Far away from Hollywood and Venezuela.
Sincerely,
A New Fan
PS - I hear Milk is pretty good, maybe I will drink it up, forgive the pun. As long as it doesn't contain any of the three things I hate to see in movies; Politics, San Francisco and Flaming Homosexuals (I mean, seriously, To Wong Foo?)
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I LOVE Sean Penn. Mystic River was amazing and Into the Wild was better. The road less traveled and all that. Milk was a good bio- too bad all 3 of listed "NOTS" are in the movie. Harvey Milk was brave and opened the door for Gays and Lesbians - who, despite a lot of people around thinking so, are NORMAL people, just looking for the same rights as everyone else. I didn't think the movie was a great movie but as bio-pics good, Sean Penn was incredibly gifted at pulling Harvey Milk's essence though. If you want to see the real Harvey Milk, you can rent (from the library)a documentary that is (as I recall) called the Mayor of Castro (referencing the Castro Dist in SF) - it is excellent and if you see that and then watch the movie, you will realize Mr. Penn's talent! Plus he married the Princess Bride- that has to count for something too doesn't it?????
ReplyDeleteSorry, I wasn't quite done- Emile Hirsch is also in Milk and Josh Brolin is amazing as well.
ReplyDeleteYou know I was kidding about my three "not's" right? I think Flaming gays and San Franciso are FABULOUS!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThey were totally catered to get a response, and built around the entire premise of the movie - I will watch it, it is on On Demand cable right now.
PS - And I cannot believe I called it Mystic Pizza! I meant river. I must have been in Julia Roberts land.
ReplyDeleteI was so about to call you on the Mystic Pizza thing...as a fan of Mystic Pizza I find that reference insulting. And this post was classic Mike. Oh how I have missed you.
ReplyDeleteMake me laugh dear man. Love MWAH.
I knew what you meant. I liked Mystic Pizza too. I knew you were kidding about the 3 NOTS, but wanted to rib you a little. The documentary is called the Mayor of Castro Street - the life and times of Harvey Milk. FYI
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