'Mank' Review

It's been quite a few months since I've written and shared a review. In that time, I started a new job and now have a little less free time on my hands for writing. However, I'd like to get back on track soon and felt reviewing David Fincher's latest film from Netflix would be a fine place to start. In the coming weeks, I'll share Reel Recaps for everything I watched before Mank that I haven't already reviewed this year, as well as standalone reviews for other recent releases. I'd like to be caught up by New Year's Eve, so I can piece together a proper Top 10 list celebrating my favorite films of the year as usual. This year, the number of 2020 movies I've seen is noticeably lacking due to movie theaters' current state. However, there are plenty of films that debuted on streaming platforms I'd like to cram in. 

'Mank' Review

Nominated For: Best Picture, Best Director; David Fincher, Best Actor; Gary Oldman, Best Supporting Actress; Amanda Seyfried, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Production Design, Best Sound, and Best Original Score.

Won: Best Cinematography and Best Production Design.

Synopsis: A scathing social critique of 1930s Hollywood through the eyes of alcoholic screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz as he races to finish the screenplay of Citizen Kane.

Runtime: 131 minutes

MPAA Rating: R (for some language)

Who should see it? Film fans enamored with early Hollywood and the real-life influences on Citizen Kane.

It has been nearly eighty years since the release of Citizen Kane, and the film is still held in high regard as one of the greatest motion pictures ever made for how it revolutionized cinema. With his eleventh feature, acclaimed filmmaker David Fincher realized his late father Jack Fincher's screenplay to shed new light on the mastermind behind said masterpiece. That said, it's important to note that Mank isn't strictly about the making of Citizen Kane, ala The Disaster Artist. Mank revolves around Herman J. Mankiewicz as he reflects on touchstone moments throughout his career, which now pervade his script. Before watching Mank, I suggest doing a little cursory research.

In preparation for Mank, I covered some glaring blindspots by finally watching the coveted Citizen Kane in addition to much of Fincher's filmography. While seeing Citizen Kane beforehand isn't essential to grasp Mank's story, it certainly enhanced my viewing experience. Plus, it never hurts to indulge in experiencing a classic for the first time! But one thing missing from my repertoire was a full understanding of 1930s Hollywood. Again, this isn't required by any means. But you'll get more out of Mank if you're more accustomed to the politics and key players of the period. Individuals worth googling include William Randolph Hearst, Marion Davies, Louis B. Mayer, Irving G. Thalberg, Upton Sinclair, and Orson Welles. Fincher offers enough subtext for viewers to piece things together and get the big picture, but I'm sure I'll takeaway more when I revisit Mank now that I possess more than a passing familiarity with these names.  

On a technical level, Mank is astounding. Considered to be an obsessive perfectionist by many, Fincher transports audiences to yesteryear by replicating the look and sound of early motion pictures, complete with all the era's trademark quirks. Mank is littered with cue marks and slow fades, filmed in black and white, and boasts the soundscape of an old talkie. A few visual effects involving animals don't hold up to the scrutiny of today's standards, but they're brief. Of course, I must give credit where it's due to the crew members who successfully recreated the rough-around-the-edges glamour of early Hollywood pictures. A job well done by Fincher's longtime sound designer and supervisor Ren Klyce, cinematographer Erik Messerschmidt, the costumers, production designers, and set decorators. And I couldn't dare forget the spellbinding score from the Oscar-winning composers Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. 

While Mank is not solely about the making of Citizen Kane, the two films will forever be intertwined. It's befitting that a movie about the screenwriter of Citizen Kane would employ a similar story structure to examine its protagonist. As reporter Jerry Thompson relentlessly sought to unravel the significance of Kane's final words, Jack Fincher is equally fascinated in determining how a life of alcoholism and rocky Hollywood career lead a washed-up screenwriter to pen his magnum opus. Where Citizen Kane's flashbacks were told from the supporting cast's point-of-view to offer a comprehensive look at Kane's life, flashbacks in Mank do the opposite. Mankiewicz's point-of-view fills in the dimension and context of those same supporting characters' real-life inspiration.  It's worth remembering that Mankiewicz is meant to be an unreliable narrator since he's an alcoholic, so the depictions of these key figures are heavily skewed.

In the titular role, Gary Oldman is incredible as Herman Mankiewicz. Oldman's proven himself time-and-time again to be a chameleon onscreen, and this outing is no exception. Acting intoxicated is a slippery slope, but Oldman managed to do so in a way that didn't come off as cartoonish. Oldman's depiction of a drunk is imbued with enough nuances for viewers to sense the broken soul and crisis of conscience bubbling beneath the surface. Opposite Oldman, Amanda Seyfried and Lily Collins are delightful as the spirited actress Marion Davies and Mank's kind secretary Rita Alexander. The two share an endearing friendship with Mank, which livened the proceedings and lent the film its heart. 

 

Chief among the supporting cast, Charles Dance is as impeccable as ever. Dance portrays William Randolph-Hurst as snide, gaudy, and pretentious. There's no mincing of words, as Game of Thrones fans are well aware of Dance's formidable screen presence. Other noteworthy performances include Tom Burke as Orson Welles and Tom Pelphrey as Herman's brother, Joseph Mankiewicz. The remainder of the cast is uniformly good. But I must say I was taken aback to discover the actor cast as Upton Sinclair as I watched the film (I think it's best left a surprise, so I'll leave it at that).

In the wake of COVID-19, time's are a-changing, and so is film distribution. It's almost ironic that a film so indebted to traditional filmmaking techniques is debuting on a streamer. Nevertheless, Netflix offers a degree of creative freedom almost unheard of nowadays, so it's understandable Fincher would be enticed to partner with the studio (especially after successful collaborations such as Mindhunter and House of Cards). So no, Mank is not jank, rank, and it certainly doesn't stank. Fincher's latest feature harkens back to the culture of Hollywood's Golden Age not with dreamy eyes but disdainful scrutiny. Mank can best be described as an old fashioned motion picture that's actually kind of dank (cool).

Film Assessment: A-