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"The Social Network", if you haven't heard by now, tells the story of Mark Zuckerberg and the creation of Facebook. The film starts with a snappy conversation between Zuckerberg (played by Jessie Eisenberg) and his girlfriend (Rooney Mara). After a few careless comments by Zuckerberg, the couple breakup, and this event (according to the film) leads to a chain events that ends with the creation of the social networking website.
Out of anger at his girlfriend, and with help from his friend Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield), Zuckerberg takes revenge by creating a website where Harvard students can pick which of two female students they think is hotter. This stunt impresses the Winklevoss twins (Artie Hammer) who decide to employ Zuckerberg to help them implement their idea of a Harvard exclusive social network website. Zuckerberg, more aware of the potential of putting The Great Popularity Contest that is 21st century America online, takes the idea for his own and runs with it. With help from Eduardo and friends, The Facebook (as it was known at the time) spreads across college campuses faster than STDs, and Zuckerberg and Eduardo become instant internet rock stars.
It is at this point in the film that Napster founder Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake) enters the scene and totally changes the dynamic between Zuckerberg and Eduardo. From then on, the relationship between the two founders of Facebook begins to deteriorate until it is eventually dissolved and settled in court. I won't go into details of how this happens, because words don't really do justice to the tragic following out and it would be better for anyone who has not yet to see the film to see these scenes without much prior knowledge, but the film is gripping until the very end.
"The Social Network" tells a very interesting story, but the film is much more than a fascinating bio-pic. David Fincher (one of the best directors working today) conducts the movie with pitch-perfect pacing and style. The script by Aaron Sorkin may come off as a little too witty and self-conscious to some, but it perfectly mirrors a certain "nerd" culture that typically is a little too witty and self-conscious. Visually, the film has the typical Fincher look, cold and glossy. This visual style is a perfect counterpoint to the up-tempo script by Sorkin and the contrast really allows the drama to play out without ever feeling propped-up or over-hyped. I would love to see David Fincher, Aaron Sorkin, and cinematographer Jeff Cronenweth all get nominated for Academy Awards.
The other strong point of the film is the acting. The is a great ensemble cast that does not hit a wrong note. The best performance is given by the film's star, Jessie Eisenberg. Eisenberg portrays Zuckerberg as a certain type of socially awkward human being who, while totally aware of and driven by the desire to be popular, can not say the socially correct things if his life depended on it. This type of character has not been previously portrayed on film to my knowledge, and what makes Eisenberg's performance so strong is that he does not rely on physical ticks to create his character. Eisenberg instead goes for the character's emotional center: a human being that displays total aloofness on the outside, but is driven by hatred and petty revenge on the inside.
Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake, and Artie Hammer also give excellent performances, but I would like to focus on Timberlake's performance in particular because it seems to get the short-shrift by some. I think because of Timberlake's background, some people are automatically leery of his acting skills. I also think that the nature of the character Sean Parker also leads some people to perceive Timberlake's performance as weak, but that's the whole point. Sean Parker (in the film) is a man completely consumed by bravado and flash, but in the inside, he is an utter and complete coward, and that is exactly how Justin Timberlake plays the part.
The film also has a great score by Trent Reznor (of Nine Inch Nails fame) and Atticus Ross. My only problem with the score is that it seems to totally disappear in the second half. I don't know if this was a purposeful decision, or just how the film turned out, but I would of liked to have heard more of it throughout the film.
"The Social Network " is definitely my favorite film of the year so far. It is only film I know that shines a light on nerds (for lack of a better term) and their emotional motivations. It also, somewhat tangentially, touches upon the ego-driven desire for fame that seems utterly insatiable for many people in my generation. All psychological hyperbole aside, it is also a really fun and entertaining movie. Please see this film!
Rating:9/10
Christopher Lominac
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