The Post is not just about the publication of The Pentagon Papers in 1971. It is also about one woman finding her place in the world. Meryl Streep plays Katherine Graham the publisher of The Washington Post, she has inherited the paper due to her husband's death. Graham is lost in this world of men, who patronize her, today we call it mansplaining. To add to her difficulties, the Post receives a copy of a secret study commissioned by the Pentagon into the conduct of the Vietnam War. The paper's editor, Ben Bradlee ( Tom Hanks) wants to publish even though he knows that the Nixon Administration will come after the paper. The papers were taken my Rand Corporation official Daniel Ellsberg and copied. Ellsberg wanted to expose the fact that previous Presidents had lied about the reasons for and conduct of war in Vietnam.
Graham is hesitant as she is about to go public on the Stock Exchange. She could also go to jail for publishing classified documents. This is an engrossing film that shines a light on the internal struggle between Graham and Bradlee, both of whom do not see eye to eye. One of the telling scenes in when Graham is told that she is compromised by her friendship with former Secretary of Defence Robert McNamara , and Graham reminds Bradlee that he was once buddies with JFK.
There are moments when the film starts preaching about the freedom of the press, and how government must be accountable. I'm sure this film is using the past to tell us about the present, but what the hell? It's never dull, and there are moments of humour. The Post is told that it will not cover Nixon's daughter's wedding due to their coverage of him!
Director Stephen Spielberg has assembled a great cast which includes Matthew Rhys, Sarah Paulson, Alison Brie, Tracy Letts, Bruce Greenwood, Bradley Whitford, Bob Odenkirk and Jesse Plemons. We also hear Richard Nixon's voice on the phone to this aides. This film serves as a prequel to All the President's Men.
Graham is hesitant as she is about to go public on the Stock Exchange. She could also go to jail for publishing classified documents. This is an engrossing film that shines a light on the internal struggle between Graham and Bradlee, both of whom do not see eye to eye. One of the telling scenes in when Graham is told that she is compromised by her friendship with former Secretary of Defence Robert McNamara , and Graham reminds Bradlee that he was once buddies with JFK.
There are moments when the film starts preaching about the freedom of the press, and how government must be accountable. I'm sure this film is using the past to tell us about the present, but what the hell? It's never dull, and there are moments of humour. The Post is told that it will not cover Nixon's daughter's wedding due to their coverage of him!
Director Stephen Spielberg has assembled a great cast which includes Matthew Rhys, Sarah Paulson, Alison Brie, Tracy Letts, Bruce Greenwood, Bradley Whitford, Bob Odenkirk and Jesse Plemons. We also hear Richard Nixon's voice on the phone to this aides. This film serves as a prequel to All the President's Men.