Steven Spielberg's latest film, The Post, could not be more timely. The two major themes of the film, political journalism and feminine leadership, could not be more appropriate following a year-and-a-half period of sensationalized journalism and public outcry over sexism. Spielberg brings his decades-long career and exceptional casting with him to this production, and yet the film still fails to be as powerful or awe-inspiring as it could have potentially been.
The production is phenomenal, with every shot convincing, appropriate for the 1971 setting. The costumes and designs felt very modern, and yet still entrenched in aristocracy and the 20th Century in a way that is a far cry from 2017/2018. The talented cast, including stars Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks, put their age and experience into good use in portraying passionate and powerful figures central to the high-stakes game of journalism media in the murky waters of the Vietnam era. However, I felt most characters were static - most characters acted exactly as I would have expected from their introductory scene. The writing and acting in this regard were consistent, but lacked some of the dynamics that engage me in a film. The exception is Meryl Streep's character, the centerpiece of the film and the link between the two concurrent themes.
The two concurrent themes - the issues of political journalism and professional sexism - both felt underwhelming. Streep's character in lodged between the two pressures, and she does a wonderful job of portraying struggle and challenge on both end. Even though both topics are bold and remain relevant, they fail to dig deeper than just being the point of conflict in the story. Although the characters struggle to make decisions and leverage their integrity with the logistics of their situation (and it works well cinematically), there was little left to discuss or challenge the viewer. Government transparency vs. national security is a timeless debate, but the characters are overly-identifiable as "good" and "bad" that The Post undervalues some of the ethical and complicated issues that makes the topic so powerful. On the other hand, Streep's rise and eventual realization as a female leader in a male-dominated, business-heavy industry is powerful but singular: we do not see any other females undergoing the same struggle, and her male counterparts seem to fall blandly into friends and enemies. Furthermore, the parties in the film (the U.S. military, Nixon's White House, The Washington Post, etc.) are static and biased in the same way that the film's characters are.
Despite these issues that I have with how the film lacks impact, it was still an enjoyable experience. The film flows smoothly with a gradual rise in tension. There is a wide cast of characters which have different relationships to each other, and the balance keeps things fresh and avoids redundancy. The score and cinematography are appropriately dramatic, and you feel yourself cheering on the heroes and fearing the antagonists.
Overall, The Post is a tremendously well-made film and pleasurable viewing experience - I do recommend a viewing of this inherently interesting premise. Despite my complaints, the film remains consistent and remains true to itself by sticking to its direction and having a mood/tone of its own. It is regrettable that the film could not work in more complex or dynamic use its themes to engage and challenge the viewer, instead settling for a self-affirming and positive retelling of history.
B-
80/100
+ all-around commendable performances
+ flows well and precisely edited
+ great production
- static approach to dynamic issues
- one-dimensional characters
+/- many phone conversations - it seems like 30% of the film's dialogue is conducted via wire
The production is phenomenal, with every shot convincing, appropriate for the 1971 setting. The costumes and designs felt very modern, and yet still entrenched in aristocracy and the 20th Century in a way that is a far cry from 2017/2018. The talented cast, including stars Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks, put their age and experience into good use in portraying passionate and powerful figures central to the high-stakes game of journalism media in the murky waters of the Vietnam era. However, I felt most characters were static - most characters acted exactly as I would have expected from their introductory scene. The writing and acting in this regard were consistent, but lacked some of the dynamics that engage me in a film. The exception is Meryl Streep's character, the centerpiece of the film and the link between the two concurrent themes.
The two concurrent themes - the issues of political journalism and professional sexism - both felt underwhelming. Streep's character in lodged between the two pressures, and she does a wonderful job of portraying struggle and challenge on both end. Even though both topics are bold and remain relevant, they fail to dig deeper than just being the point of conflict in the story. Although the characters struggle to make decisions and leverage their integrity with the logistics of their situation (and it works well cinematically), there was little left to discuss or challenge the viewer. Government transparency vs. national security is a timeless debate, but the characters are overly-identifiable as "good" and "bad" that The Post undervalues some of the ethical and complicated issues that makes the topic so powerful. On the other hand, Streep's rise and eventual realization as a female leader in a male-dominated, business-heavy industry is powerful but singular: we do not see any other females undergoing the same struggle, and her male counterparts seem to fall blandly into friends and enemies. Furthermore, the parties in the film (the U.S. military, Nixon's White House, The Washington Post, etc.) are static and biased in the same way that the film's characters are.
Despite these issues that I have with how the film lacks impact, it was still an enjoyable experience. The film flows smoothly with a gradual rise in tension. There is a wide cast of characters which have different relationships to each other, and the balance keeps things fresh and avoids redundancy. The score and cinematography are appropriately dramatic, and you feel yourself cheering on the heroes and fearing the antagonists.
Overall, The Post is a tremendously well-made film and pleasurable viewing experience - I do recommend a viewing of this inherently interesting premise. Despite my complaints, the film remains consistent and remains true to itself by sticking to its direction and having a mood/tone of its own. It is regrettable that the film could not work in more complex or dynamic use its themes to engage and challenge the viewer, instead settling for a self-affirming and positive retelling of history.
B-
80/100
+ all-around commendable performances
+ flows well and precisely edited
+ great production
- static approach to dynamic issues
- one-dimensional characters
+/- many phone conversations - it seems like 30% of the film's dialogue is conducted via wire