BY HALEY LENAUER
“The Post” is the new movie directed by Steven Spielberg, starring Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks. The story focuses on the true events surrounding the Washington Post’s decision to publish the infamous “Pentagon Papers,” which detailed the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.
Meryl Streep stars as Katharine Graham, the owner of the Washington Post, while Tom Hanks plays Ben Bradlee, an assistant editor for the Post. Streep’s and Hanks’s performances both really do a lot to the overall story. They both give these roles a lot of subtlety and humanity, while also adding a lot of personality to the aspects of the film they star in.
Spielberg generally makes well-received movies, and this time is no different. As per usual for the director, the scenes are nicely shot, the story of the “Pentagon Papers” is intriguing and feels impactful-as was intended, and the actors-even apart from the big-name ones-give good performances.
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The story itself feels surprisingly relevant to current times, despite the story taking place in the 70’s. Some of the topics it deals with include: government distrust by citizens, concerns about power in politics, and questions about how the press interacts with those in administrative positions. It’s possible that this relevancy could have been the intent. Regardless, it still allows for some interesting discussions to be brought up and analyzed by the viewers.
If I had to find one issue with the film, it could be that it can sometimes drag at points. Sometimes the film flows really well, such as the beginning of the Vietnam War, or during the second half of the movie when the impact of the “Pentagon Papers” really comes into effect. Other times, the movie slows down as it discusses particulars of the newspaper business or even the legality of the situation. However, when Tom Hanks or Meryl Streep are in those scenes, their charm alone is typically enough to move the film along.
Overall though, this an enjoyable, thoughtful flick. This isn’t one of Spielberg’s larger films-the next one of those is likely Ready Player One. However, it seems to know that and doesn’t try to push itself to be something it’s not. If you’re interested in seeing a small, time-relevant movie during the slower months of January, or are just a fan of Streep or Hanks, I’d definitely recommend seeing this.