You’ve seen the posters. The grainy, high-contrast silhouette of a newsroom. The names Spielberg, Streep, and Hanks emblazoned across the top like a cinematic holy trinity. Honestly, when Tom Hanks in The Post was first announced, most of us figured we knew exactly what we were getting. We expected another "America’s Dad" performance—warm, reassuring, and perhaps a little safe.
But that’s not really what happened.
When you sit down and actually watch the 1971-set drama, you aren't met with the soft-spoken hero of Sully or the gentle neighbor from A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood. Instead, you get Ben Bradlee. The real Ben Bradlee was a growling, feet-on-the-desk, sandpaper-voiced editor who breathed ink and exhaled fire.
And Hanks? He leaned into the grit.
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Why Tom Hanks in The Post Still Matters
It’s easy to dismiss a movie from 2017 as "old news," especially one about events from the 1970s. But looking back at Tom Hanks in The Post through a 2026 lens reveals something much more interesting than a simple history lesson. It wasn't just a movie about the Pentagon Papers. It was an origin story for a partnership that changed how the world views the press.
Bradlee was a man who lived for the "scoop." He was competitive, almost to a fault. At the start of the film, his biggest frustration isn't the Vietnam War or government corruption—it’s that The New York Times is eating his lunch. He’s tired of The Washington Post being seen as a "local" rag in a "second-tier" town.
Hanks plays this with a specific kind of restless energy. He’s constantly moving, constantly barking orders, and yet, there’s a subtle vulnerability. He’s a guy who realized, a bit late in the game, that his friendship with JFK might have clouded his journalistic judgment. That nuance is what makes the performance stick.
The "Small Rebellion" in the Newsroom
There’s a scene where Bradlee tells his wife, Tony (played by Sarah Paulson), that he "always wanted to be part of a small rebellion." It sounds like a cool movie line. But in reality, it was a terrifying gamble. If they published those classified documents, they weren't just risking their jobs. They were risking prison.
The Post was going public on the stock market at the exact same time. The lawyers were screaming "no." The board was terrified. And there stood Ben Bradlee, played by Hanks with a cocktail in one hand and a heavy burden of integrity in the other, pushing Katharine Graham (Meryl Streep) to burn the house down for the sake of the truth.
It’s about the cost of being right.
The Physicality of Ben Bradlee
A lot of actors would have just done a gravelly voice and called it a day. Hanks did something else. He changed the way he walked. He carried himself with a naval officer’s posture—a nod to the real Bradlee’s service on a destroyer during World War II.
Interestingly, Hanks actually knew the real Ben Bradlee. They were neighbors in the Hamptons. Spielberg has mentioned in interviews that Bradlee once watched Saving Private Ryan and finally opened up to Hanks about his own war experiences. That personal connection is likely why the performance feels so lived-in. It wasn't an imitation; it was a tribute to a friend.
Breaking Down the Cast Dynamics
While the movie is a two-hander between Streep and Hanks, the supporting cast basically functions as the "engine room" of the film.
- Bob Odenkirk as Ben Bagdikian: He’s the guy who actually tracks down the papers. His scenes are tense, frantic, and provide the "thriller" element of the political drama.
- Sarah Paulson as Tony Bradlee: She doesn't have a ton of screen time, but she delivers the emotional "moral compass" speech that reminds Ben (and the audience) that the real hero of the story is Kay Graham, not the guys in the newsroom.
- Matthew Rhys as Daniel Ellsberg: The whistleblower. His early scenes in Vietnam set the stakes. Without him, there is no movie.
The Production Was a Sprint
Spielberg didn't dawdle on this one. The movie was shot and edited in a lightning-fast nine months. He actually put another project, Ready Player One, on hold because he felt the message of The Post was too urgent to wait.
They filmed in New York state, mostly in White Plains and Brooklyn. The newsroom wasn't a sleek, modern office. It was a cavernous space filled with clacking typewriters, pneumatic tubes, and heavy lead type. You can almost smell the stale cigarette smoke and the chemicals from the printing press.
It feels tactile. Real.
What Really Happened with the Pentagon Papers?
We should probably clear up one common misconception. The New York Times actually broke the story first. They had the papers for months. The Washington Post was playing catch-up.
The film doesn't hide this, but it focuses on the legal battle that followed. When the Nixon administration got an injunction to stop the Times from publishing, the Post had to decide if they would pick up the torch. If they did, they’d be in "contempt of court."
It was a game of chicken with the White House.
Nixon doesn't even appear as an actor. Spielberg used the actual secret White House tapes, so you’re hearing the real Richard Nixon’s voice growling about "the press" in the background. It adds a layer of chilling authenticity that a voice actor just couldn't replicate.
Actionable Insights from The Post
Watching Tom Hanks in The Post isn't just about entertainment; it’s a masterclass in leadership and ethics. If you’re looking for "real-world" takeaways, here they are:
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- Trust is a Currency: Bradlee had to trust his reporters, and Graham had to trust Bradlee. Without that vertical trust, the papers would have stayed in a cardboard box.
- The "Lesser" Risk Isn't Always the Safest: Playing it safe by not publishing would have likely killed the Post's reputation forever. Sometimes the "risky" move is actually the only way to survive.
- Acknowledge Your Biases: Bradlee’s realization that his friendship with politicians made him a worse journalist is a lesson for anyone in a position of power.
Hanks' performance reminds us that integrity isn't a stagnant trait. It’s a choice you make every single morning. Usually while someone is yelling at you to do the opposite.
If you haven't revisited the film lately, it’s worth a rewatch. Focus on the quiet moments—the way Hanks watches Streep during the phone call that decides the paper's fate. It’s not about the words. It’s about the weight of the moment.
To get a better sense of the era, you might want to look into the real 1971 Supreme Court ruling New York Times Co. v. United States. It’s the legal backbone of the entire story and explains why the "heavy presumption" against government censorship still stands today.