10 Films To Get You In The Mood For David Fincher's Mank
2. The Social Network
Though entirely unrelated to the time and place of Mank, diving back into one of the Fincher's best is an excellent way to rediscover the taste of his cinematic offerings. More to the point, The Social Network is another Fincher biopic centred on a flawed albeit influential figure.
Framed by two concurrent lawsuits, one by his former best friend Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield) and the Winklevoss Twins (both played by Armie Hammer), the story of how Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) started and grew Facebook is rightfully considered one of the best films of the 21st century so far. The resulting picture of Zuckerberg isn't one dimensional, but rather a complex portrait of a socially stifled and uncomfortable man who just so happens to create one of the greatest social tools in history.
The Social Network demonstrates how Fincher can deftly handle messy, complicated events and relationships in a manner which is at once clear and engaging, but also nuanced and multifaceted.
If you haven't seen The Social Network, there's really no better excuse than the forthcoming release of Mank to familiarise yourself with one of the director's finest efforts.