"The Post" (2017) Film Review

“The Post”: Streep shines, while Hanks plays his usual role of the witty white man.

Directed By: Steven Spielberg

Rated: PG-13

Runtime: 1:55

Review By: Livi Edmonson

To quickly summarize this film that is based on true events, Steven Spielberg’s latest critically-acclaimed flick, “The Post” follows the story behind Katharine Graham (played by Meryl Streep), the first ever female publisher of The Washington Post, and her bravest publication of all:  a cover-up of U.S. government secrets kept private during the Vietnam war. Her editor at the Post, Ben Bradlee (played by Tom Hanks), despite always having a few doubts about Kathryn’s presence as a female in a higher position, puts his thoughts of uneasiness aside and teams up with her to protect the freedom of the press and shed a little bit of light on the buried truth.

“The Post” is a film that highlights the important issue of the press versus government, but it is mostly a story about a remarkable woman who was silenced by tradition, but found her voice by standing her ground in a world surrounded by her male colleagues.

The film has received many nominations this year in terms of the awards season. Meryl Streep is of course, wonderful and powerful in her politically-charged performance, as Steven Spielberg is fantastic with his beautiful and articulate direction of the film. But, I am getting quite tired of seeing Tom Hanks play the same exact role of a misogynist white man, who can’t seem to crack a smile and change his voice, which seems to stay put in a tone of utter seriousness the whole entire movie.

I am by no means trying to disrespect Tom Hanks or “The Post”, for I think he is, and always has been, an outstanding actor. However, I am just fed up that whenever Hanks has a new movie released, many critics, journalists, and reporters fall on their knees and praise him for just being Tom Hanks. It is basically like, “Hanks has a new film out, so let’s give him an Oscar nom.”

There have been so many great performances this year, like Gary Oldman in the thrilling drama “Darkest Hour”, James Franco in the autobiographical comedy, “The Disaster Artist”, and young newcomer, Timothee Chalamèt in this year’s most heartbreaking film, “Call Me By Your Name.” Hollywood seems to always want to embrace the risk-taking “new Hollywood” era of actors, yet when there is more of a “old Hollywood” era actor and film in the running, it seems like Hollywood is a little too hesitant to embrace certain changes. I would be absolutely shattered to see Tom Hanks gyp one of these great actors of an Oscar nomination with his same-old, same-old performance in “The Post.”

All in all, “The Post” is a great movie, but it isn’t a memorable one. Held up entirely by Streep’s performance and brought to life by the great Spielberg, the drama is a powerful story, but it just isn’t something we haven’t seen before.