Review of The Post (2017) by Bill T — 21 Mar 2018

If you still believe in the importance of journalism, are a history buff, or just enjoy the intrigue of a political plot, this film is for you. For older folk like me, who were raised on films like All the President's Men and Three Days of the Condor, this film will resonate and create nostalgia for a day when journalism was respected as the fourth branch of government-as a watchdog over the official branches of government.

For my crowd, it is easy to recognize how patriotism and serious journalistic research could be one in the same. Characters like Danilel Ellsburg, a State Department analyst (played by Matthew Rhys) wrestle with their duty to their government and their duty to the American public.

Tom Hanks' portrayal of newspaper icon Ben Bradlee continues the legend seen in All the President's Men, while adding new dimensions through his professional relationship with Katharine Graham (played by Meryl Streep), owner of the Washington Post.

Streep's performance is especially intriguing, as it explores gender issues from the Viet Nam era through a distinctly 21st Century and feminist lens. Her role reminds us of two things: 1) that women in that time period had to be extremely courageous to find their way to authority in any business, including the news business and 2) that we have neglected the role of women in these historical moments, making it important to write them back in.

For younger audiences, there is a steeper learning curve. They must first imagine a time when journalists were neither sensationalists nor under attack. And they need to be convinced of what a watershed moment the publication of the "Pentagon Papers" was.

In some ways, the portrayals of these journalists as American heroes is a bit overdone--more of a superhero film than a realistic one. And careful viewers will always ask whether even then, it was more about the "scoop" than the truth.

But if it can help restore some faith in journalism, some trust that we now lack, and perhaps inspire others to reinvigorate the idea of professional journalists in an age of divided news, fake news, and "citizen journalism" via social media, it will have served its purpose.

It is also a film filled with drama, intriguing characters, and a story that shows how the personal and the political interact. So, while the experience may be different for younger and older audiences, it offers something to both.