Friday, January 26, 2018

Movie Review - The Post

When you put Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep together in a movie the expectations are huge, fortunately The Post more than meets those high expectations. 
I don’t usually post movie reviews. I consider movie reviews to be very subjective, but I decided to share my thoughts about The Post because this was more than just a great plot, based on a true story, this movie was an inspiring film that shed a light on issues that are as relevant today as they were during the 1970’s when these events were actually happening.
Meryl Streep expertly plays the role of Katharine Graham, the first female publisher of a major American newspaper, The Washington Post.  Streep adds her phenomenal talent to portray Graham as a woman who is overwhelmed at times, negotiating in a male-dominated world.  The stunning visual impact of Streep walking into a boardroom full of only men, and losing her voice, so beautifully illustrates the harsh reality of the exclusion of women at that time. 

Hanks plays editor Ben Bradlee, who pushes Graham to expose a massive cover-up of government secrets that spans three decades and four U.S Presidents.  I am a huge fan of Tom Hanks and his portrayal of Bradlee was realistic, but did not reach the authentic feel of some of his early  award-winning movie roles.  Despite that, Streep’s performance alone is worth the price of admission. 

Sarah Paulsen, who plays Bradlee’s wife gives a solid performance, and the scene where she chastises her husband about his bravery compared to the bravery of Graham is understated and powerful.  
Leaving the theatre I was overwhelmed at how relevant and appropriate this film is to the issues of today: The delicate balance of a free press operating within a democracy.  The issues of secrecy versus national security.  And last but not least the significant difference in the way men and women are treated. 

The Post is an incredible look back at events that helped shape not only our nation, but our view of government and the press.  I highly recommend The Post.