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Mank, I don’t get the hype

Is this really one of the best films this year!? I found it dreadfully dull and so did most people I spoke to about it. As for the performances, I didn’t think Amanda Seyfried was all that. I mean the role is somewhat forgettable and it did not make me wish to see or delve into the character more.

Kirsten Dunst made a more memorable Marion Davies in The Cat’s Meow - which in my opinion was a much better film than Mank. Her Marion would have made an interesting stand alone film even.

Mank overall just seemed like a big disappointment to me, even from a technical stand point, it did not bring to mind Citizen Kane or any of the classic b&w movies I love.

In all, the film was almost completely lost on me and would have switched off before the halfway point if I’d had anything even a little more important to do.

by Anonymousreply 40October 12, 2021 10:28 AM

I found it boring and pretentious. That seems to be the winning formula for critical acclaim these days.

by Anonymousreply 1February 4, 2021 6:35 AM

I turned it off after 15-20 minutes.

by Anonymousreply 2February 4, 2021 6:53 AM

If you just want a straight forward telling of this story RKO281 is a better film. No frills, no fuss. Liev Schreiber is outstanding as Orson Welles.

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by Anonymousreply 3February 4, 2021 7:29 AM

I saw a brief interview with Amanda Seyfried where she admitted to have never heard of Marion Davies prior to getting this part. When she was asked about her, she still seemed utterly clueless as to what made her a special, interesting talent and star in the 1930's. I haven't seen the movie but it seemed obvious that she couldn't live up to the role. Its very difficult for a marginal talent to properly portray someone remarkable.

by Anonymousreply 4February 4, 2021 7:38 AM

Thank you OP, I thought it quite pretentious and underwhelming, just as I do most Fincher films. So lame that even Gary Oldman couldn’t save it. In fact I thought his performance was pretty disappointing - a first for me. Amanda Seyfried was ok.

by Anonymousreply 5February 4, 2021 7:41 AM

None of the films this year are that great.

I checked all the Golden Globe best picture drama nominees and not one of them made it out of the 7's on IMDB.

by Anonymousreply 6February 4, 2021 7:43 AM

R6 I agree it seems to be a rather weak year.

by Anonymousreply 7February 4, 2021 7:49 AM

[quote] Kirsten Dunst made a more memorable Marion Davies in The Cat’s Meow.

Love that movie. I initially watched it for Joanna Lumley as uptight gossip columnist.

by Anonymousreply 8February 4, 2021 7:52 AM

R8 it was good. Much bette than I thought it would be as I didn’t expect much from the director who was well past his peak.

by Anonymousreply 9February 4, 2021 8:01 AM

Thanks r3 I intend to watch it.

by Anonymousreply 10February 4, 2021 8:14 AM

Marion Davies. She has that 1930s movies mid-Atlantic accent- not the Brooklyn twang Seyfried uses.

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by Anonymousreply 11February 4, 2021 10:12 AM

The movie looks like style-over-substance, with the actors playing their characters in a mannered way.

Fincher is an odd man. Reportedly obsesses about the tiniest details, and requires dozens of takes. Maybe that's why the actors are so wooden: they're exhausted and pissed.

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by Anonymousreply 12February 4, 2021 10:16 AM

Perhaps Netflix provided funds or pussy in sufficient quantity to generate some "hype".

by Anonymousreply 13February 4, 2021 10:16 AM

Seyfried was the only good thing in it.

by Anonymousreply 14February 4, 2021 10:35 AM

R14 even so it wasn’t enough to save the film from being a compete bore.

by Anonymousreply 15February 4, 2021 10:52 AM

I have tried numerous times now to finish this movie and I just can’t. God it’s so boring.

by Anonymousreply 16February 12, 2021 1:55 AM

I wished I'd seen it in a theater. The look of the film was great. Otherwise nothing special.

by Anonymousreply 17February 12, 2021 2:27 AM

It had all the charm and drama of a college lecture, the kind that has you dozing off about halfway through. I found it hugely disappointing and a waste of talents like Gary Oldman (Mank) and Charles Dance (William Randolph Hearst). I wanted more of a story about the period, rather than endless monologues from Oldman's character.

by Anonymousreply 18February 12, 2021 4:50 AM

[quote]If you just want a straight forward telling of this story

My, that is what I woke up craving.

by Anonymousreply 19February 13, 2021 10:57 PM

Mank Stank

by Anonymousreply 20February 13, 2021 11:08 PM

I wanted to love it. But as the minutes wore on. And on. And on. I was like... this film can eat my pussy.

Overrated. And shocked that its in Oscar contention in ANY category.

by Anonymousreply 21February 13, 2021 11:09 PM

I liked it a lot and thought that Gary Oldman, Amanda Seyfried, and the guy who played Orson Welles were all very good. To each their own.

by Anonymousreply 22February 13, 2021 11:13 PM

Shit R22. I really wanted to like it!!!

I have even started to truly respect Roma from a few years ago.

Another film I didn't GET at the time, but liked far more than Mank.

by Anonymousreply 23February 13, 2021 11:14 PM

That's just nuts, R23. I was understanding of you not necessarily liking Mank, but to give Roma any credit at all is a bridge too far. God, that movie was HORRENDOUS. I hated it with every fiber of my being and wanted every single character in it to die a horrible death.

by Anonymousreply 24February 13, 2021 11:18 PM

Holy shit R24- NO. I truly like that film now. I especially liked the woman who played the wealthy lady who the chick worked for. I thought that her Oscar nomination was the most deserved (and unexpected) that year.

I really grew from hatewatching it to liking it...

Now Mank? No. I don't see this happening.

by Anonymousreply 25February 13, 2021 11:20 PM

Every Time I see the title it reminds me that I intend to watch it, but then I can't clear that hurdle to actually watch it. Sort of like the trailer for Nomadland. I can't believe that's getting so much hype, just based on the trailer it looks unwatchable.

by Anonymousreply 26February 13, 2021 11:20 PM

I could not finish watching Roma.

by Anonymousreply 27February 14, 2021 12:47 AM

I wish I hadn't finished Roma.

by Anonymousreply 28February 14, 2021 12:48 AM

It took me three tries to finish Mank and I was thoroughly underwhelmed each time. I could see what it wanted to be but it never got close. It started reminding me of a more serious expensive version of that stupid Ryan Murphy Hollywood mess he puked out earlier this year.

by Anonymousreply 29February 14, 2021 12:51 AM

I'm the biggest classic movie fan I know, and I was familiar with the history already, and I still quit midway through. It was so dull and never really engaged me.

by Anonymousreply 30February 14, 2021 1:10 AM

I thought parts of the Trent Reznor/Atticus Ross score were very intrusive and, whether deliberately so or not, didn't jibe with the 30s/40s period setting. Also, you know something is wrong when a flashback has to be labeled "Flashback"; Welles would probably have a good laugh at that.

by Anonymousreply 31February 14, 2021 8:35 AM

I also watched it three times. I fell asleep the first two times and fast forwarded through what I remembered and watch what I didn’t the third. What I enjoyed most about Mank was my sense of accomplishment in finally getting through it.

by Anonymousreply 32April 19, 2021 4:46 AM

It might be interesting to industry people. Otherwise, I can’t imagine it being appealing to anyone else.

It reminded me of “Glengarry Glen Ross”. But without the fun.

by Anonymousreply 33April 19, 2021 4:50 AM

Even the cinematography was awful. You'd think a movie that is primarily based on the viewer's interest in Citizen Kane would paid a llittle more attention to that aspect.

by Anonymousreply 34April 19, 2021 5:02 AM

The problem was the screenplay: it just wasn't a good one, but Fincher did it as a labor of love for his father, who wrote it. It was pretty much a waste of everyone's money, but Hollywood allowed him to do it. they won't allow him to do another one like this, though. He'd better go back to serial killers and thrillers if he wants to be marketable again.

The only real good that came out of it was for Amanda Seyfried. She didn't get the Oscar, ultimately, but she will at least now get better parts instead of having to play the dewy-eyed ingenue.

by Anonymousreply 35June 9, 2021 5:24 PM

Not impressed with Amanda. She looked as though she were waiting for her cue before delivering what she have been very witty lines. Gary Oldman was incredible but like other posters the story took me more than one attempt to finish.

by Anonymousreply 36June 10, 2021 12:48 AM

I'm just watching it. I'm liking it a lot so far. I'm liking this screenplay about a screenplay. But the political background - Upton Sinclair, the signs of fascism people are ignoring, the propaganda against socialism, the fake news - came as a surprise. It's very so now. I like the cast a lot, especially Gary Oldman.

by Anonymousreply 37October 11, 2021 4:40 PM

"Citizen Kane" is out in theaters again for its 80th anniversary. It was great to see it on the big screen. Interesting 2016 article about Trump and "Kane"; Mar-a-Lago is quite a comedown from Xanadu.

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by Anonymousreply 38October 11, 2021 4:53 PM

I never watched this. I only watched the Seyfreied scenes and I’m glad she got her Oscar nom. I hate that Lovelace really damaged her career for a few years because I thought that movie was good and she was superb it.

by Anonymousreply 39October 11, 2021 5:07 PM

Wow I'd like to see Citizen Kane!!

by Anonymousreply 40October 12, 2021 10:28 AM
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