Mank
Citizen Kane's reputation precedes it. Whether an ardent cinephile or casual movie viewer, the mention of KANE likely comes with some amount of respect whether that reverence is earned or assumed. And so, it is hard to talk about David Fincher's latest, MANK, without bringing its inspiration into the conversation. The film is penned by Jack Fincher, David's father, and follows the 1930s Hollywood exploits of Herman J. Mankiewicz, the screenwriter behind Citizen Kane. That era is not just the backdrop for the film, but is evoked in Fincher's aesthetics. He employs period accurate sound design techniques, monochromatic black and white cinematography, and additional details such as cigarette burns in the top right corner to cue imaginary reel changes - all designed to not only capture the names and images of past Hollywood but to immerse us in that world again. But from there the film dries up. Like KANE, fine craftsmanship is on display here. Unlike Kane though, MANK's moral quandaries all come without the nuance and humanity of its predecessor. As Welle's character, Charles Foster Kane, is left to die in his castle, surrounded by lifeless statues and monuments of self, we are left to wonder whether his altruism was nothing more than a rich man's attempt to buy love from the working class or ideals he once dearly held and so tragically lost due to the corrupting influences of power and money? In contrast, the rich movie moguls that Gary Oldman's character works with, drinks with, and largely chafes against, feel one-dimensional, contrived, and simple. It is easy for Mank to pen his script damning them. And thus MANK feels divorced from the subtlety of its source material, draining the film of its heart. Oldman adds the depth of sorrow to his character's wit and drunkenness, but in the end the characters that Citizen Kane is based on are portrayed as caricatures in Mank. It's hard to feel that Mank is a crusader for the common man against the unjust political influence of the wealthy media elites when they are strawmen written only to be easily blown down with an alcohol laden breath.
- RyGuy