The Post - Review
Director: Steven Spielberg
Cast: Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Sarah Paulson, Bob Obendirk, Tracy Letts, Bradley Whitford, Bruce Greenwood, Matthew Rhys
Steven Spielberg. Meryl Streep. Tom Hanks, It's hard to believe, but the three titans of tinseltown have never before collaborated together on a project - until now. The trio have combined forces to tackle a landmark moment in modern history, seemingly with the hopes of altering our current political course.
Based on the true story, The Post details the attempts by journalists at The Washington Post to publish the Pentagon Papers, classified documents that the United States government have refused to divulge in regards to the country's 30-year involvement in the Vietnam War. Editor-in-chief Ben Bradlee (Hanks) is intent on printing the Papers, but the newspaper's publisher Katharine Graham (Streep) is torn between her family legacy and commitment to journalistic integrity.
Although the events of The Post took place almost 50 years ago, its themes and messages are depressingly still prevalent in today's political climate. The film is uplifting and a tale of truth and justice emerging victorious in the face of oppression, but the uphill battle experienced by the press is one evidently destined to be repeated. Their freedom is under threat by the most powerful political figures in the world - the parallels are impossible to deny, but the outcome of The Washington Post's efforts serve as a beacon of hope and inspiration to us all in these troubling times. Social and gender politics are also stressed, and the character who embodies this increasingly more crucial conversation is Katharine Graham, played by none other than Meryl Streep. Streep is famously outspoken and a fierce advocate for equality but Graham is a woman still grappling with the struggle to find her voice in a male-dominated profession. Her position as owner and publisher of The Washington Post was one that she inherited and she subsequently has to work twice as hard as her business counterparts before anyone even considers taking her seriously. Witnessing the character's development is one of The Post's greatest rewards and serves as a reminder of the progress that both has and hasn't been made in the fight for gender equality.
As previously mentioned, The Post can lay claim to the fact that it is the film that united three Hollywood legends; Spielberg, Streep and Hanks. Neither the director or the film's leads are particularly pushed out of their comfort zone, but they all operate at the peak of their model talents. Spielberg is (of course) capable of creating tension and suspenseful viewing out of what could be assessed as the least dynamic actions imaginable; characters rifle through and categorise documents, they fumble in their pockets for spare change to place a phonemail and they frantically bash away at typewriters. However, we know what's at stake and every second counts - making history is no simple order and the film triumphantly captures the efforts of the journalists who risked everything to expose the ugly truth.
A historical drama that feeling unnervingly close to our present reality, The Post is exquisitely crafted and anchored by an impressive acting ensemble.
EB
Cast: Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Sarah Paulson, Bob Obendirk, Tracy Letts, Bradley Whitford, Bruce Greenwood, Matthew Rhys
Steven Spielberg. Meryl Streep. Tom Hanks, It's hard to believe, but the three titans of tinseltown have never before collaborated together on a project - until now. The trio have combined forces to tackle a landmark moment in modern history, seemingly with the hopes of altering our current political course.Based on the true story, The Post details the attempts by journalists at The Washington Post to publish the Pentagon Papers, classified documents that the United States government have refused to divulge in regards to the country's 30-year involvement in the Vietnam War. Editor-in-chief Ben Bradlee (Hanks) is intent on printing the Papers, but the newspaper's publisher Katharine Graham (Streep) is torn between her family legacy and commitment to journalistic integrity.
Although the events of The Post took place almost 50 years ago, its themes and messages are depressingly still prevalent in today's political climate. The film is uplifting and a tale of truth and justice emerging victorious in the face of oppression, but the uphill battle experienced by the press is one evidently destined to be repeated. Their freedom is under threat by the most powerful political figures in the world - the parallels are impossible to deny, but the outcome of The Washington Post's efforts serve as a beacon of hope and inspiration to us all in these troubling times. Social and gender politics are also stressed, and the character who embodies this increasingly more crucial conversation is Katharine Graham, played by none other than Meryl Streep. Streep is famously outspoken and a fierce advocate for equality but Graham is a woman still grappling with the struggle to find her voice in a male-dominated profession. Her position as owner and publisher of The Washington Post was one that she inherited and she subsequently has to work twice as hard as her business counterparts before anyone even considers taking her seriously. Witnessing the character's development is one of The Post's greatest rewards and serves as a reminder of the progress that both has and hasn't been made in the fight for gender equality.
As previously mentioned, The Post can lay claim to the fact that it is the film that united three Hollywood legends; Spielberg, Streep and Hanks. Neither the director or the film's leads are particularly pushed out of their comfort zone, but they all operate at the peak of their model talents. Spielberg is (of course) capable of creating tension and suspenseful viewing out of what could be assessed as the least dynamic actions imaginable; characters rifle through and categorise documents, they fumble in their pockets for spare change to place a phonemail and they frantically bash away at typewriters. However, we know what's at stake and every second counts - making history is no simple order and the film triumphantly captures the efforts of the journalists who risked everything to expose the ugly truth.
A historical drama that feeling unnervingly close to our present reality, The Post is exquisitely crafted and anchored by an impressive acting ensemble.
EB
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