Mank review: Gary Oldman and Amanda Seyfried dazzle in David Fincher’s lavish ode to old Hollywood

Orson Welles is famous for his work as the star, director, and producer on 1940s classic Citizen Kane, however, Mank takes the time to tell the story of the Oscar-winning film’s ‘co-screenwriter’ Herman Mankiewicz (aka Mank).

Turns out what went on behind the camera is just as legendary as the film’s success, so Se7en director David Fincher teamed up with Netflix to bring this complex story to life in a passion project biopic.

Based on a screenplay written by David’s late father Jack Fincher, the film sees hot-shot director Welles set up a private stay for Mank in order to write the script. Armed with cigarettes, alcohol, and a British typist named Rita (Lily Collins), Mank is meant to have the script done in 60 days while he recovers from a car accident.

The film reveals how he drew inspiration from his own life by cutting back and forth between Mank writing Citizen Kane in 1940, and flashbacks to his career in the 1930s where he met Marion Davies and became acquainted with her lover, William Randolph Hearst (Charles Dance).

Yes, that is the name of the powerful newspaper publisher who would later become the inspiration for Citizen Kane.

By the time the film landed the Oscar for best original screenplay in 1942, the moment was overshadowed by Welles and Mank’s fight over who actually wrote the script.

Oh, and the film also focuses on the 1934 California gubernatorial election – proving Hollywood and politics have always been interwoven in a very complicated manner.

Oscar-winner Oldman delivers a great performance and has been given several awards nominations for his troubles, however, it is Seyfried who simply lights up the screen thanks to her superb turn as brassy broad Marion Davies.

Shot in black-and-white, the film oozes the aura of classic Hollywood. The stunning work done by cinematographer Erik Messerschmidt makes every single shot a visual delight, especially when we add in the brilliantly chosen outfits used by costume designer, Trish Summerville.

As beautiful as the film is, Mank’s story isn’t quite captivating enough to stop the film from erring on the side of dull at times.

Indeed, some Fincher-heads will certainly be less than thrilled by the lack of gruesome murders, bloody fights, or criminal investigations.

It’s hard to imagine that many of them would particularly interested in the drama that went down during 1940s Hollywood.

Unlike biopics focused on the inner workings of the world of sport, music, or even banking, it’s a bit harder to make the clashes between screenwriters and film studios feel like a universal topic of interest.

Indeed, this feels like a film made specifically for the film critics, cinephiles, and others with an appreciation for this time period and the people who worked within it.

With that said, there’s nothing Hollywood loves more than films about its golden age so it’s no surprise Mank has been nominated for 10 awards at the 2021 Oscars.

It might not be for everyone but overall, Mank is a worthy Oscar contender because due to the fact every part of the film’s creation is masterfully executed to transport viewers into the world of Herman J Mankiewicz and his famous associates.

The legend Citizen Kane’s complicated inception, and all the characters involved, now lives on forever in a stunning and somewhat droll biopic.

Mank is available to stream now on Netflix.

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