The Post

In 1971, The New York Times has access to classified documents about the Vietnam War. However, the government uses the justice department to stop the distribution of newspapers claiming violation of the national security laws. Immediately after, the Washington Post has access to similar documents but they decide to face the government and publish the newspapers against the will of their lawyers and investors.

"The Post" is a film directed by Steven Spielberg with the battle between the press and Nixon´s government in 1971. The performances of Meryl Streep and Tom Hank are top-notch as usual and the dramatization of the situation is suspenseful. The truth about the Vietnam War is probably painful for the American people that lost their sons to hypocrite governments. However the right of free press without financial interest from the government seems to be utopic at least in the present days. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "The Post: A Guerra Secreta" ("The Post: The Secret War")

The latest Steven Spielberg film "The Post" is a nice showcase of the real life 1970's battle between government and journalist which would go to the highest court in the land(The U.S. Supreme Court). The film shows how information is uncovered and leaked about the highly criticized "Vietnam War".

All of us want freedom of speech and freedom of press, and us as people expect the news media to give it to us and when documents are uncovered by people in the press which exposes cover up and lies from many previous presidents, you feel relieved and mad also. And with this picture it shows the process of how to investigate and publish hard hitting truth even if it means to challenge the powers that be.

That's what "The Washington Post" did as the owner a powerful woman in Kay Graham(a wonderful Meryl Streep)put it all on the line with the help of a powerful and well know editor in Ben Bradlee(the good Tom Hanks). As anything worth exposing and challenging is worth a fight for as it makes the powerful upset and angry.

Overall this picture is a must watch for political history buffs also as it shows how the ever on going war between media and government began and how it became a political dogfight for each and all involved. Proving that accountability is needed for all.

Is it cliché to call this movie an Oscar cliché?

Even if the answer is yes, that's The Post, in a nutshell. It hits all the right beats. Serious historical drama (it covers a newspaper contemplating printing government lies about the Vietnam War), mega-famous director (Spielberg), and beloved, award-winning stars (Streep and Hanks). To top it all off, this movie is timely. A movie about newspaper courage at a time when our nation's free press is under attack, it's almost too perfect. Delicately arrange all these ingredients nicely on a fancy dish, and we should have a five-star meal. But we do not. Instead, the result is something that is just fine. It's a lower-middle class version of Spotlight.

That likely reads harsher than I intend it. Spotlight is incredible. Mentioning any movie in the same breath is an honor. The Post is a perfectly adequate, important movie, not a Best Picture winner. There's no shame in that.

There's very little blatantly wrong with the movie. Grading via a high school-style rubric would result in an A for following all the instructions and including all the required criteria. Yet, it does not quite reach the level of "WOW."

Figuring out why it doesn't "WOW" is tricky. Maybe shooting and editing a movie that quickly (reportedly completed in only a few months) is too tall a task even for a master like Spielberg.

Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep play the leading roles and do so fantastically. Streep is especially strong in capturing the hesitancy of a woman in charge who doesn't act like she's in charge. This is the other element that's important for 2018. Women can lead effectively and bravely. She slowly learns that she is fully capable of seizing control and making the tough decisions, just like any successful leader.

The supporting actors all likewise play their roles well, without exception. Everyone feels a bit underutilized, which I suppose they understood when they accepted the parts. The inclusion of so many famous faces could be viewed as a statement emphasizing the importance of the film.

While I mentioned that there is very little blatantly wrong with the movie, I did personally find certain parts troublesome. Specifically, I call attention to the beginning and ending. Without spoiling anything, they felt oddly out of place, or at the very least, they felt unnecessary.

Perhaps Spielberg included them to make clearer the message of the movie. He wanted to establish the stakes. I didn't think we needed that. Movie viewers are smart enough to understand what makes this movie important. Thankfully, the movie avoided becoming overly preachy, aside from a couple sigh-worthy instances.

If you're down for a textbook "important history lesson" movie, The Post is for you. Just don't expect to leave the theater in stunned silence, like you did after seeing Spotlight.

Spielberg's new drama about the controversial publication of the Pentagon Papers by the Washington Post and New York Times is a well-made and entertaining, albeit not perfect, film. Tom Hanks gives a thorough and enjoyable performance as Ben Bradlee, but it is Meryl Streep who truly stands out in the cast here through her role as Kay Graham. Bob Odenkirk's supporting role is also noteworthy in a very positive sense.

The film is thoroughly gripping, although it sometimes feels paced slightly clumsily through omissions of details that could have been better to include as Spielberg presents the audience with the turbulent politics of the Vietnam era that lead to the intense legal and ideological controversies surrounding the Pentagon Papers. Additionally, a rushed--albeit still very enjoyable--third act makes the viewer feel that the film's running time is a bit too short. The film is an enjoyable watch in a way that other journalism films like "All The President's Men" and "Spotlight"--while better films overall for sure--are not, but its tone is handled well throughout. If Spielberg's dramas have taught me one thing, it's that he clearly knows how to let a specific tone manifest itself throughout the course of a narrative and do that well. The film contains a few moments that feel a bit 'meh' (a very clichéd rather than powerful discussion of the importance of freedom of the press in the second half is one.) While it has neither the high emotional stakes and dramatic tension of "Bridge of Spies" or the clockwork precision of "Lincoln," it is still a very well-acted and entertaining film that I do recommend. 7/10

I enjoyed this movie. It must be kept in mind this is a movie, a drama and not a documentary. As such, this is a good movie. The pace is good and we follow the events and decisions that had to be made. Meryl Streep shows why she wins Oscars, the self-doubt and hesitation that she portrays was a masterful performance. Tom Hanks' character was serviceable and pretty one note, and the only nice character turn was near the end after speaking to his wife about the heroics of Streep's character.

A number of people said the movie was too preachy and was worried about that before seeing the movie. I didn't find that at all after watching the movie. Yes, verses a documentary, this movie did have a theme and message, but I knew what this movie was about freedom of the press before going to see it. I grew up in that time period, so I knew the outcome also.