Review 430: The Post

The Post is a fabulous, fascinating, intriguing and suspenseful Historical Political Thriller and a showcase for some brilliant filmmaking from Steven Spielberg and a pair of fabulous performances from Tom Hanks & Meryl Streep.

The year is 1971; As the Vietnam War enters its Sixteenth year, pioneering newspaper publisher of The Washington Post, Kay Graham (Meryl Streep) and maverick editor Ben Bradlee (Tom Hanks) set aside their personal differences, risk everything and lead a team of loyal and principled reporters deeper and deeper into one of the most shocking government cover ups in history, leading to a battle for truth and free speech that will force a nation to re-examine its values and redefine its future.

 

The plot is beautifully written. At it's core, it's a story about finding somebody finding their voice: Over the course of the film, Spielberg makes sure to place Meryl Streep's Kay Graham in rooms full of men

 

It's also a film about newspaper deadlines

The ethical questions such as Do they publish this story and what the ramifications will be and whether they'll end up in jail are also adressed. Kay Graham was willing to put her career and her position on the line to get the The Pentagon Papers published

 

One of the most compelingly gripping things about The Post is how contemporary and timely it is and how it draws references and allusions to the presidencies of Richard Nixon and the current president whose name will go unmentioned. It's a film about a time in which a corrupt president is attempting to surpress a story and wether or not the press is able to stand up to that.

These parallels are scary and profound

Steven Spielberg's direction is gripping, the cinematography is beautiful and captures the beauty of the 70's. The film is packed with excellent period detail: the production design (recreating the early 1970's) is splendid, the costumes are colourful and stylish, the score by John Williams is magnificent, the make up is rich

It's simply an all-round triumph for the acting, Tom Hanks & Meryl Streep, in particular, are at the top of their game here. Tom Hanks & Meryl Streep in a Spielberg film: This is a match made in film heaven!

Tom Hanks shows us once again what an amazing and valued talent he is in the role of Ben Bradlee. Tenacious, charming, independent and resourceful, Bradlee quickly ascended up the ranks at The Washington Post, building a strong reputation for hiring talented reporters and driving them relentlessly to reach their potential. When The Pentagon Papers came to light, Bradlee trusted his instincts and the dedication of his news team to break the story of the decade. He was a newspaper man through and through, he loved to find the truth and put it out than let people decide for themselves.

Meryl Streep is simply marvellous as Kay Graham. In 1971, Graham was still finding her feet as the only woman in a position of power at a major national news organisation. Under intense pressure from forces within her own company and clandestine elements of the government, it was left to Graham to summon the courage to act in conscience, find her voice, trust her instincts in the face of overwhelming threats to her family, her livelihood and even her freedom to bring long buried truths to light and publish the story that ultimately sent shockwaves through the American Establishment.
Women were still a little bit invisible at that time and the focus of history came to rest her shoulders in particular with the publication of The Pentagon Papers.

The relationship between her and Bredlee is strickly professional. They're two people who have differing opinions on something but ultimately end up respecting one another and circling around each other in a way that's

Bruce Greenwood is very strong in this movie playing Robert McNamara, the controversial former US defence secretary and the commissioner of The Pentagon Papers which would lay out the entire history of America's failings and expose the Viatnam cover ups. McNamara was a friend of Kay Graham and added his influence to those inside the government eager to see the secrets the papers and The Post's subsequent subsequent revaltions buried for good. He would rather make a bad descision, than wait and make no descision and ran affoul of that mindset more than twice in his life.

Bob Odenkirk is also extremely effective in the film playing Ben Bagdikian. He was one of Bradlee's most trusted deputies at the Washington Post. As a former colleague of Daniel Ellsberg, Bagdikian provided the connection that eventually led the paper to the source of conspiracy. His dogged pursuit of Ellsberg and a complete copy of the report gave The Post the facts and the momentum it needed to break the historic story and reveal the truth.

Bradley Whitford  playing Arthur Parsons,

Matthew Rhys is also terrific playing U.S. State Department military analyst Daniel Ellsberg. He was the man who exposed The Pentagon Papers to the media and was regarded as a brilliant military analyst before becoming a whistleblower. As a Marine who spent two years in the field, Ellsberg became increasinly disillusioned with how the US government was presenting the Viatnam war to the American people. His actions led him to be regarded as "the most dangerous man in America."

Carrie Coon playing Meg Greenfield, editorial editor at the Post and astute confidant to Katherine Graham.

Mad Men's Alison Brie, Tracy Letts, Sarah Paulson, Jesse Plemons, David Cross and Michael Stuhlbarg round out the films stacked cast with
 

5/5.

The Anonymous Critic.