Review: The Post

The Post opened in wide release on January 12th, 2018. The Post stars Meryl Streep & Tom Hanks. The Post was directed by Steven Spielberg.

Synopsis:

The Post is based on a true story. It centers on newspaper publisher Katharine Graham—played by Meryl Streep. Graham was the first female publisher of a major American newspaper, The Washington Post. Graham is constantly being questioned and challenged by her male colleagues—including editor Ben Bradlee (Tom Hanks). Graham and Bradlee became allies as they worked to expose a massive government cover up that spanned decades.

Positives:

• The performances in The Post are stellar—from top to bottom. It’s one of Spielberg’s best performed films in terms of an ensemble. The cast all bring their A games.

• The script does an excellent job of taking what could be a boring premise and making it feel urgent and suspenseful. The film primarily takes place in a newsroom, but the setting feels much more cinematic than you would anticipate.

• The Post is definitely one of Spielberg’s smallest films in terms of premise and scale. The film shows what a well-rounded director Spielberg is. There are no big action scenes or lavish special effects in The Post. Spielberg highlights the film’s excellent script and performances to charm the audience.

Negatives:

• There are scenes and moments in the film that feel a little redundant. At times The Post pushes its message a little too incessantly.

• The large cast all do excellent work. However, there may be too many characters in the film. Not everyone gets equal development and attention.

In Closing:

The longevity and diversity of Steven Spielberg’s film career continues to grow with his most recent film, The Post. The acting is some of the best I have ever seen in a Spielberg film. The script is far more tense and thrilling than a film about a newspaper has any right to be. The Post is definitely one of Spielberg’s most unique projects, and also one of his best recent films.

Rating: B+