Mank Review: May Not Be Everyone’s Cup of Tea!

The 2020 David Fincher directorial, Mank with Gary Oldman in the titular role, is a biographical drama about screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz and his journey of writing the script of one of the greatest movies ever made, Citizen Kane. Reconceptualizing the state of Hollywood between the 1930s to 40s through Mank’s point of view, the film also discusses a wide variety of topics from his political ideas and his alliances, with the primary focus being the writing process of Citizen Kane.

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The storyline of Mank begins with Herman J. Mankiewicz moving into an isolated home with an injured leg and his typing assistant, Rita Alexander (Lily Collins), to write the script of Citizen Kane. Being an alcoholic and an individual with an unusual sense of humor, the rest of the film details his journey from hastily finishing writing the screenplay to the various stages in his life where he drew inspiration from for his characters.

One of the primary aspects where Mank shines the brightest is on the technical side of things. Beginning with the production design, from the exteriors of the studio lots in Hollywood, extravagant interiors providing us an inside look of the high-profile tinsel town parties to the cars used and the little intricacies, it felt like this film is actually shot in the 1930s and all credits to the design team. Furthermore, the elaborate costumes, hair, and make-up, and the overall lack of technology maintained that pre World War II vibe perfectly.

Alongside the production design, the camera work by Erik Messerschmidt also adds more extravagance to the overall cinematic presentation of the film from the beginning to the end. The tremendous use of light, drafting the frame with the right amount of brightness and contrast, the steady shots, and the cue marks bring in more authenticity in a subtle fashion. Additionally, the movie also maintains that treble-heavy throughout its runtime that is similar to the sound we hear in films from the black and white era.

When it comes to the screenplay of Mank, Jack Fincher executes a clever storytelling technique perfectly by going back and forth between the past and the present and detailing the person behind the story of Citizen Kane. But, the engagement factor for this film will solely depend on whether you want to learn more about the process and the various setbacks Mank had to get through to write one of the greatest films ever made.

The narrative is more of a character study of Mank that will feature his political beliefs and the affiliations he had at that time, on which individuals he drew some inspiration from to design the characters in the 1941 film, the overall state of Hollywood in the Great Depression, and more.

Therefore, if you’re not interested in knowing the behind-the-scenes stuff of his thought process, etc. the film’s storyline will, without a doubt, wear you out by the end of the two-hour runtime. The performances from the complete cast were exceptional through and through. Beginning with Gary Oldman, who delivers yet another career-best performance as the titular character, and his ability to physically transform and perform was a treat to watch on-screen. The supporting players, especially Amanda Seyfried and Lily Collins, were also equally impressive in their characters from start to finish.

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Overall, as I affirmed earlier, you may not enjoy watching Mank if you’re not into the subject and the off the record stuff of Citizen Kane. When it comes to me, I did not find myself captivated by anything I’m watching on-screen. But, technically, this movie had a lot to offer, from the camera work to the production design alongside the performances. So, at least now you know what to expect before watching the new David Fincher directorial. Watch ‘Mank’ on Netflix here.

Images via Netflix

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