In a disappointing season filled with mediocre films, Gus Van Sant’s “Milk” lives up to its billing of one of the best of the year. In fact, the best.

The film, starring Sean Penn as former San Francisco city supervisor Harvey Milk, an open homosexual who is assassinated while in office, combines spectacular filmmaking with superb acting to tell the story of a man who broke down barriers over 30 years ago.

The biopic has few flaws, as Van Sant uses a technique that would only work in a film such as this.

The viewer sees Milk’s rise through the political world and his exploits through his love life. Van Sant’s methodical shot technique is mixed with incredibly unique shots that build the suspense as you see Penn transform himself into Milk, giving the greatest acting performance of the year, and arguably his career.

It is hard to imagine anyone else pulling off Milk the way Penn did. He puts himself into the character and the emotion in his voice and face are as authentic as can be.

While Penn’s performance is the most memorable and should merit an Academy Award for Best Actor, the film is very performance-based, and would not have been as successful without the supporting cast, specifically those who play Penn’s group of hippie, homosexual misfits who journey with him through his rise in politics.

James Franco and Emile Hirsch, neither of whom have ever played characters of this nature, give standout performances. Franco as Milk’s younger, less-ambitious boyfriend and Hirsch as a lone wolf who becomes an integral part of Milk’s success. Likewise, Diego Luna shines as Milk’s clingy, eccentric lover.

Josh Brolin of “No Country For Old Men” and “W,” stands out yet again as the conservative supervisor Dan White, the key antagonist standing in the way of Milk’s battle for reform.

Penn and Van Sant are clearly the film’s stars. Van Sant has shown the potential to make great films with “Good Will Hunting” and “Finding Forrester,” but his true talent as a director had never truly been tapped until “Milk,” the crown jewel of his career thus far.

Penn has become well known as an actor who can give a great performance. But never before has he fit so perfectly into a role. Never before have his acting skills meshed with a film and a director as it did in “Milk,” and that is why the film works so well.