The Post

— There’s a lot to be said for “The Post,” a film that looks at the Washington Post’s decision to print the Pentagon Papers. Streep and Hanks are both incredible. The “look” of the times is carefully presented in the costumes and the sets. Spielberg concentrates on telling the story and keeping technique in the background…and it's a fascinating and timely story. It was a long time ago, but I remember the sense of outrage I and my peers felt when we learned our government had withheld “the truth” for so many years. That was a time when journalists were still held in revere and while we knew First Amendment rights were at stake, I don’t remember thinking about the potential cost to The Washington Post and to Katherine Graham or, for that matter, Graham’s unique place as a woman in charge of a major company. The film manages to tell an interesting story and touch on lots of issues for viewers to think about in addition to defending the press’ role in exposing corruption and acting as the public’s watchdog. You’ll end up considering a leader’s responsibilities to shareholders and to the public, question who determines the truth and how it evolves, remember an earlier time in the slow progress toward gender equality in the workplace, and be reminded that every person in power who comes from money and privilege isn’t an enemy of the majority. Even better, all these issues come out of the story, instead of being interjected by a narrator. It’s a film that’s well worth seeing and among the best of the year.

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[2017. 116 min. Directed by Steven Spielberg. Starring Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Sarah Paulson, and Bob Odenkirk.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-post-2017