disappointment media
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • The Snake Hole
  • About

MANK -- A Glitzy Biopic of Old Hollywood

11/6/2020

0 Comments

 
Review by Sean Boelman
Picture
Orson Welles’s Citizen Kane is hailed by many as the pinnacle of cinema, so it will come as no surprise that David Fincher’s biopic Mank, about the writing of the film, is about as self-congratulatory as they come. Gorgeous in pretty much every way but surprisingly flat, Fincher’s movie is perfect for those enamored with the ways of Old Hollywood, but those who have a more cynical view of the past may find themselves frustrated.

The film tells the story of the origins of Herman J. Mankiewicz’s script for Citizen Kane, spanning two time periods: his writing of the screenplay and his relationship with media mogul William Randolph Hearst, who inspired the story. Jack Fincher’s script should be praised for having a precise level of detail with which even some of the most seasoned cinephiles may be unfamiliar, but as is said in the movie, almost everyone in America knows who Citizen Kane is actually about.

One of the more frustrating things about the film is that it pulls a disappointing amount of punches. Citizen Kane offers a pretty harsh indictment of the media mogul Hearst, and while this movie explores the contention that formed between him and Mankiewicz, it feels like more should have been done to condemn Hearst’s ethics (although there is one clunky monologue towards the end that does so).

Instead, the film gets caught up in the glamour of the cinema, and as a love letter to a revolutionary movie, it works well. Obviously, the film is going to work better for those who already have an appreciation of Citizen Kane, and may not even be understandable to those who haven’t seen it, but there is enough wit here to appeal to even the most passive of cinephiles.
Picture
The elder Fincher’s script creates artificial movement through a flashback structure, jumping between the ‘50s in which he wrote the script and the ‘30s and ‘40s in which its inspiration occurred. Had the movie been presented in a more traditional linear format, it would have been dull, but thankfully, there’s still some life in it.

Gary Oldman’s lead performance is about as great as expected, but he doesn’t disappear in the role like he has in the past. Charles Dance and Amanda Seyfried are good as Hearst and Marion Davies, but they each only have a few really memorable moments. The undersung standout, though, is Tom Burke, who absolutely nails Welles.

The film also succeeds in every technical aspect. The black-and-white cinematography by Erik Messerschmidt is phenomenal. The score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross is excellent. The production design periodizes the movie brilliantly. Fincher puts a certain level of intense detail into the script into its execution, and the film is better for it.

Mank isn’t as groundbreaking of a biopic as Fincher’s last effort in the genre, but there is irresistible appeal to those who are fans of cinema. Even if it leaves something to be desired, it’s more than pretty enough to be worth a watch.

Mank streams on Netflix beginning December 4.

Rating: 3.5/5
               
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019

    Authors

    All
    Adam Donato
    Alan French
    Allison Brown
    Borja Izuzquiz
    Camden Ferrell
    Cole Groth
    Daniel Lima
    Dan Skip Allen
    Erin M. Brady
    Jonathan Berk
    Joseph Fayed
    Josh Batchelder
    Paris Jade
    Rafael Motamayor
    Sarah Williams
    Sean Boelman
    Tatiana Miranda

disappointment media

Dedicated to unique and diverse perspectives on cinema!
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • The Snake Hole
  • About