Direction:
Steven Spielberg; Cast: Meryll Streep, Tom Hanks; Bob Odenkirk; Story and Screenplay:
Liz Hannah, Josh Singer; Cinematography: Janusz Kiminski; Editing: Michael Kahn, Sarah Broshar; Music: John Williams; Producers: Steven
Spielberg, Kristie Macosko Krieger; Genre: Drama; Location: USA; Distributor: 20th
Century Fox; Running Time: 136 minutes.
Technical assessment: 4
Moral assessment: 4.5
CINEMA rating: V14
The Post talks about the
true story of the Pentagon papers involving the US government’s knowledge of
things but were not revealing to the public. A few years after the Vietnam War, former
military analyst Danuek Ellberg (Rhys) leaks some confidential documents to the
reporters of the New York Times. Katherine Graham (Streep), the new publisher
and owner of The Washington Post arranges for its stock market launch in order
to strengthen its financial health. However, she faces a group of chauvinistic
men who feel she is not fit for the job. McNamara (Greenwood), her friend and
the Secretary of Defense, complains that another newspaper, The Times, has been
writing negative stories about him and one of her editors discovers Ellberg as
the source of the materials. Bradlee
(Hanks), the Post’s editor-in-chief, decides to match Time’s scoops sets up a
team of Post reporters to weed through the documents they also get from
Ellberg. The paper’s management agonizes whether to come out with the story or
not as it is either a choice between social responsibilities or a possible repercussion
from the Nixon government. Graham decides to run the story and inspires papers
across America to support their expose.
It is undeniably a very timely movie given the government-media climate
in most parts of the world – the Philippines included. Hence this is a movie
that will become timeless in the years to come given the brilliant choice of
focus of Spielberg. The direction takes us between the realism and drama. For
instance, we see the intensive effort in gathering facts and publishing a story
on time during those days on the one hand and the inner conflict of the people
at the crossroads of running a story or not. The real strength of the movie is
in the formidable performances of its leads—subdued, enthralling and
passionate. Streep’s acting is almost musical. Spielberg masterfully paces the
narrative with quick history and immersing drama. The movie is a tightly
articulated account of the Pentagon Papers and the struggle for integrity and
truth.
In a time where fake news proliferates unceremoniously
and the public naïve about the manipulation and deceit of media – whether
mainstream, social or alternative, The
Post offers a reminder that truth is the underlying foundation of
journalism. The movie’s theme heavily centers on the struggles of print media
for freedom of the press. A struggle still fought to this day if media is to
remain faithful to its obligation to keep,the government in check and serve to
the public unbiased and relevant information. The movie should be understood as
a reminder not only for government to respect media’s purpose and task but also
for media itself to remember what they are here for.
