A brilliant, brilliant, quintessentially David Fincher film. Superbly directed by Fincher with a tremendously clever and witty screenplay by Fincher Snr, Mank was utterly engrossing and fascinating. Anchored by an Oscar-worthy performance from Gary Oldman with a fantastic supporting cast, especially a revelatory Amanda Seyfried. Finally she has been given a role that will likely get her a Best Supporting Actress nomination. And let us not forget the outstanding production design, sound design/mixing, cinematography and music that echoed and reflected the glamour of 30s Hollywood. Mank will undoubtedly be nominated for an avalanche of Oscars.
Mank was not only about the making of Citizen Kane, but it was also about the machinations of Hollywood. The hypocrisy and the duplicity that churned the machinery and powered the political will of the Hollywood elite. What a brilliant piece of ironic self-obsession Fincher has created.
Almost everything about this film was finely tailored to reflect the era in which it was set in. From Fincher's direction and multiple homage to Citizen Kane itself and the filming style of the 30s, to the purposeful use of mono audio and authentically degraded visual, and Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross period-appropriate - and fabulous - score.
This was thoughtful and sincere film-making.
At 131 minutes, Fincher meticulously paced the film such that it never felt long. The interweaving of timelines - an echo of Citizen Kane itself - was never confusing. Instead, it held the attention of the audience as we followed through the narrative and was constantly delighted by what came next.
The cast definitely played a huge role in ensuring this film's success. And kudos to Fincher for eliciting on-point performances from everybody.
Lily Collins proved she is much more than just Emily in Paris. Charles Dance commanded the screen, as always. Tom Pelphrey had an old-school, Cary Grant-esque charisma to him. Tuppence Middleton, playing against type, was convincing as Sara. Oh Poor Sara. Other standouts included Ferdinand Kingsley, Toby Leonard Moore, Arliss Howard, Tom Burke, Joseph Cross and Jamie McShane.
However, the brightest stars were Oldman and Seyfried.
Seyfried was magnetic. She inhabited Marion Davis and gave a fully lived-in performance. She exuded a fierce intelligence coupled with a disarming beauty. Her scenes, especially those with Oldman's Mankiewicz, were the highlights of the film. They had an effortless chemistry that did not involved sexuality or sensuality. As Poor Sara said, a "platonic affair".
Oldman is surely going to get another Oscar nomination but looks like he might face a tough competition from Chadwick Boseman for Ma Rainey's and Anthony Hopkins for The Father. Nonetheless, Oldman, although quite a bit older than Mankiewicz, was entirely captivating. He was in almost every scene and almost always remained the center of attention. His meticulous performance brought on both unfeigned authenticity and genuine emotions may it be laughter, love or sentimentality. His chemistry with all his female co-stars, mainly Collins, Middleton, and most of all Seyfried, was a clear highlight in this fascinating examination of an alcoholic genius.
Cinematographer Erik Messerschmidt did a remarkable job in recreating the sight and feel of the 30s. There were some truly beautiful shots of lights and shadows in the grainy reproduction of the era.
Reznor and Ross have outdid themselves. This was perhaps their best cinematic score since The Social Network. Entirely different from their other 2020 score for Soul, their sound here was an echo of the 30s. It carried the film and underscored the emotional complexity but was never manipulative or overbearing. It was evocative and expressive without being wild or ferocious.
Netflix again has a a clear winner here. It got to be an embarrassment of riches for them this year with both Mank and Ma Rainey's which will both surely dominate the Oscar race. Perhaps Mank and Fincher could do what Roma and Alfonso Cuarón could not.
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