The Post

Year: 2017
Director: Steven Spielberg
Cast: Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Bob Odenkirk, Tracy Letts, Sarah Paulson, Matthew Rhys, Bruce Greenwood, Carrie Coon, Bradley Whitford, Alison Brie


Plot: Based on the true story of how Katherine Graham, owner of The Washington Post, and her chief editor, Ben Bradlee, exposed government secrets regarding the Vietnam War during the Nixon administration in 1971.


Review: The Post, another feather in director Steven Spielberg's cap, feels much closer to his recent film Bridge Of Spies than say, Saving Private Ryan, in the sense that it focuses more on retelling a pivotal part of history than human drama. But is it effective? Yes.

The film begins with a man named Daniel Ellsberg, an employee for RAND (Research And Development) who returns from Vietnam after a visit for observation, and becomes disillusioned learning that Secretary Of State Bob McNamara isn't confident about sending more troops there even though they still are. He begins secretly copying pages from McNamara's research on the war (which are highly top secret and toxic if released to the public) and sends them to the New York Times. When the Times is taken to court by Nixon for publishing the papers, Ben Bradlee, editor of The Washington Post, sees an opportunity to not only go one up against their rival paper, but to publish a story that would benefit the public. However, Post owner Katherine Graham faces a dilemma as she has to make a decision that may damage her beloved paper, while fending off pressure from the other directors of the board who don't respect her enough.

What's most apparent about The Post is how talky it is, but to Spielberg's credit, it never stalls. He moves the film at a frenetic pace once Ellsberg leaks the papers. From here, he shows the audience how journalists work, from day to night, in offices and their own homes, sometimes in secret, and in one scene, use multiple payphones to avoid detection. Spielberg's presentation of this aspect is very genuine, and Tom Hanks' portrayal of Bradlee adds to it immensely, even though he's sporting a lousy wig to look younger. Nevertheless, Hanks always throws in 110% to all his roles and he does the same here, making Bradlee a very likable and genuine character.

While Hanks has the more active role, Meryl Streep has the more dramatic one, as she plays the Post's owner Katherine Graham. Graham, who inherited the paper from her late husband, doesn't get much respect from her fellow directors due to her inexperience, and must make her own mark in a business which is mostly a man's world. Streep turns in a subtle yet effective performance here as the person who has to decide on a move that may affect her company and all the people working for her. Also worth mentioning are Bob Odenkirk as the Post reporter who hunts down the secret documents, Matthew Rhys as Ellsberg and Bruce Greenwood as McNamara.

If The Post has any flaws, it's the lack of quieter moments due to its quick pace, save for two scenes, one where Hanks and Sarah Paulson (as Bradlee's wife) talk about Graham, and the other featuring Streep's Graham talking about her late husband to her daughter, which was a very effective scene and highlights Streep's ability to fill in any kind of role. It's unfortunate that these moments are scarce here, as they would have elevated the film a bit more.

All in all, I think The Post is a solid entry into Spielberg's filmography, though it clearly isn't one of his best. (7.5/10)