Rating: 4/5
Classification: M
Year of release: 2017
Run-time: 1 hour 56 minutes
Director: Steven Spielberg
Cast: Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Sarah Paulson, Bob Odenkirk
Genre: Drama
This review contains no spoilers
The Post is based on a true story and is set mostly in the early 1970s and is about a number of newspaper journalists who get their hands on the Pentagon Papers that are U.S. government secret documents about the Vietnam War, after then U.S. President Richard Nixon announces that the press are not to publish or reveal these secrets, the country’s first female newspaper publisher of the Washington Post Kay Graham (Meryl Streep) and her editor Ben Bradlee (Tom Hanks) face the difficult decision of whether to publish these documents or not. Seeing Steven Spielberg directing a movie with Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks is a huge dream come true for sure, I can definitely imagine many cast and crew members who worked on this movie pinching themselves at least once, this movie doesn’t quite live up to that hype however it is still a very interesting movie to watch. The Posts two leads give outstanding performances which should go without saying at this stage, like many other historical dramas from director Steven Spielberg, The Post will likely be mostly engaging, as well as educate audiences about significant historical events.
The Post also does what I think many movies based on true events should do and that is to make me feel the urge to research the story upon which this movie is based to find out more about it, Kay Graham and Ben Bradlee (who some of you may have seen the later in All The President’s Men) were indeed real people and Kay Graham is the most interesting character in this movie. Kay is the head publisher of the Washington Post and the movie lets you know how rare it was to have a woman in such a high position in those days and to see what she accomplishes in this movie is very interesting to watch and after playing Margaret Thatcher it’s easy to see why Meryl Streep was asked to play this role. The Post not only makes the most of its two legendary leads but also has a talented supporting cast such as Sarah Paulson and Bob Odenkirk who some of you may know as Saul Goodman from TV shows Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, The Post manages to successfully reflect on political issues that have occurred in very recent times even though this story takes place in the 1970s.
The Post may not be the best movie to come from Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg however it is still a movie that is worth watching thanks to its great performances, a fascinating true story and successfully reflects political news stories that have been as relevant in recent times as well as the time period in which this movie is based.