The Post

Score:  A-

Directed by Steven Spielberg
Starring Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Bob Odenkirk
Running time: 116 minutes
Rated PG-13

Long Story Short:  The Post is a historical drama about the publishing of the Pentagon Papers, an event that led to national upheaval on the Papers' topic - Vietnam War - as well as to a critical showdown between the press and the government.  The movie's theme is all too relevant in today's society, but more than holds its own as a quality piece of art and entertainment, too, thanks to Hollywood legends Spielberg, Streep, and Hanks.  Highly recommended.


In 1970, the New York Times publishes top secret documents about the Vietnam War - a struggle going on at its peak both on the bloody battlefield as well as the tumultuous home front.  The Times begins to reveal the extended history of the conflict, but the Nixon administration soon blocks it from writing more.  Four years earlier, an analyst had visited Vietnam and, after seeing its horrors first-hand, then witnessed the hypocrisy of the government's policies, leading to his theft of the documents.  Meanwhile, the Washington Post, led by heiress Katharine Graham (Streep), struggles to gain relevance as it goes public to keep the lights on.  Shocked like the rest of the nation, the Post searches for the source of the secret documents and lands on the prized - yet dangerous - package.  Graham is faced with an agonizing choice: play it safe, or continue the journalistic mission to bring out the truth of the Vietnam War and risk the paper's very existence.

The Post has an impressive cast of familiar faces, headlined by perhaps the two most celebrated actors working today.  Although advertised as a duo, Meryl Streep is the true lead and the heart of the film.  Unsurprisingly, she is fantastic as the high-profile yet privately uncertain owner of the Post.  Hers is not a showy performance; even at the climax, she does not overreach for a glorious heroic turn.  Instead, she is a much more interesting, nuanced character.  Comfortable mixing it up with Washington's power players, she still keenly feels the weight of her family's newspaper legacy, and two incredibly challenging yet vastly different problems.  She is confident, yet still finding herself; smart and savvy yet warm (and not cliche).  Excellent work.  Tom Hanks as editor Ben Bradlee is certainly next up, but in, I'd argue, more of a supporting than a lead role.  Tom is always fun to watch and he digs into the hotshot boss role with relish, but it's also somewhat unremarkable (by Hanks's standards).  I will give him (and the script) credit for not trying to steal the spotlight, which is and should be Streep/Graham's.  Bob Odenkirk has a pretty decent sized role as a reporter, one that is quite similar to his Better Call Saul role, actually (pay phones included).  Bradley Whitford and Bruce Greenwood, as a Post board member and McNamara, respectively, are great as complex "villains".  There are plenty of others, but they're essentially cameos.

The Post is a strong historical drama with an important, contemporary theme and an interesting lead role.  Anyone not living under a rock for the past year is surely aware of a rising criticism from certain areas (e.g. our reality-TV president) of the media; "fake news" is spreading around the globe.  Spielberg took up this film precisely because of this disturbing trend, and the publishing of the Pentagon Papers is certainly a powerful symbol of the essential importance of a free press to democracy.  There is little sermonizing, however; the film is driven more by the urgency of the Post's attempt to get access to the Papers - and subsequently, the wrenching decision of whether or not to publish.  The "journalistic thriller" side is fine and fun, but also a bit predictable and by-the-numbers, particularly if you've seen films like Spotlight.  It also struggles to convey the importance of the topic of the Papers themselves, the Vietnam War.  Aside from brief, half-hearted war-and-protest scenes at the beginning, the discussion of what the Papers represent is fairly bloodless.  Fortunately, Streep helps enliven and elevate the impact of the Post's publishing on its own fate.  This is by far the strongest, most impactful aspect of the plot (though again, the power of the press theme is obviously vital, too).  This could have been a simplistic, if still relevant, portrayal of men's underestimation of women, particularly those in power.  But Streep's Graham is both liked and respected - though when opposition comes, particularly as the stakes rise, this gives way to skepticism, even by Hanks's Bradlee.  Graham is not an invincible superwoman, but she learns, she summons her courage, and ultimately balances the competing arguments of powerful men to come to the right decision.

***

The Post is a worthy Best Picture-nominee, with three of the biggest names in Hollywood (Spielberg, Hanks, Streep) teaming up for an entertaining movie with themes particularly relevant today.  I do feel that the film failed to quite live up to its potential, though, considering the premise and the players.  Hanks is fun but forgettable; Spielberg creates an engaging story but fails to really juice the action as much as he usually does.  It's Streep who stands out, with a truly great performance, and the script gives her enough of the spotlight to develop and emphasize her intriguing part of the tale.  If you are in the mood for a pretty standard but rock-solid drama led by stars, this is a great choice; and don't underestimate the film's ability through drama to show the importance of the press (often at its peril), either.




By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=55743990