When watching “The Post” – the latest from Steven Spielberg – it’s hard not to feel a little nostalgic.

This is a film that harkens back to some incredible story telling in the 1970s created by films like “All The President’s Men” and “Network,” but it also shows the importance of print journalism and the decisions made in the newsroom that can affect the country.

Spielberg, and an incredible cast, understand the importance of both factors. As a result they have created a film that serves as both a history lesson for where we’ve been and where we are going – with “The Post” showing how we are doomed to repeat the past unless we change it.

“The Post” is based on the true story of the Washington Post’s decision to run the Pentagon Papers that outlined the government’s decision to withhold critical information on military involvement in Vietnam spanning nearly four decades.

At first this information is published in The New York Times, but when Richard Nixon’s administration obtains a federal injunction to prevent the Times from publishing any more of the documents after three articles, the Washington Post – led by editor Ben Bradlee (Tom Hanks) – opts to take the reins and challenge the injunction.

Bradlee enlists the help of publisher Katharine Graham (Meryl Streep), the lone woman in a business of men, to help him expose the government cover-up – a decision that could cost Graham a publication her family has owned for many years.

Spielberg expertly guides “The Post” back and forth between political thriller and newspaper drama – giving the film a brisk pace that doesn’t overwhelm its audience with too much information.

The heart of the film lies in the newsroom scenes, which pop with intricate detail and authenticity that really allows Hanks and a plethora of supporting actors and actresses (including Bob Odenkirk, Tracy Letts and Carrie Coon) a chance to shine. This is some of Hanks’ best work in recent memory, effectively capturing Bradlee’s desire to expose the truth, no matter the cost.

Streep’s performance isn’t as showy, but is just as effective as we watch Graham navigate a world women were not allowed to be part of until she entered the scene. Her hesitation in the early scenes makes way for a more demanding presence in the final act as Graham and Bradlee arrive at their decision.

Streep and Hanks, who have surprisingly never worked together before, have seamless chemistry that drives “The Post” toward its crowd-pleasing conclusion (which includes a nice homage to “All the President’s Men”).

Like Spielberg and the rest of the cast, they know how to get the best out of this fascinating material that speaks not just to where America has been, but where we are now in the battles between government and the media.

Starring: Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks

Directed by: Steven Spielberg

Rating: PG-13 for language and brief war violence

Playing at: Regal Bowling Green Stadium 12, Highland Cinemas (Glasgow)

Grade: A-