The Post

Are you looking for a powerful, riveting movie that will give you a historical perspective of the ’70s and yet is very relevant to today’s influx of fake news and assaults on the First Amendment?  If you answered ‘yes’ to that question, ‘The Post’ is the movie for you.  I was a teenager when Nixon was president, and I had heard of The Pentagon Papers; but really didn’t know what all the fuss was about.  This movie schooled me, that’s for sure.  Steven Spielberg directs this timely story that defends freedom of the press even when what is published could embarrass or even implicate those in authority and in the public eye.  Meryl Streep plays Katharine Graham, the first female publisher of a major American newspaper, while Tom Hanks plays Ben Bradlee, her editor-in-chief.  The basic plot involves how the Pentagon Papers, which outlined how every president since World War II lied to the American public about our involvement the Vietnam War,  were acquired by several major newspapers – and the basic Constitutional issue of whether they should be allowed to publish them or not.  President Nixon tries to use his power to stifle the publication (sound familiar?)  of the papers, citing national security.  The Post’s, and press in general’s, contention is that a free press, particularly when the government is lying to its people, is a critical protection as established in the Bill of Rights.  I think you know what happened!  The large supporting cast are all pros and really help to make this movie exciting.  I especially enjoyed Bob Odenkirk whose character, Bob Bagdikian, has a key role to play in the shenanigans.  I really think everyone, Republicans, Democrats and anyone with concerns about our country  alike should see this movie and take a look at how real news is made!