Using the Facebook vernacular, Aaron Sorkin's name should be "tagged" all over the opening scene. A machine gun exchange of witty banter between Mark Zuckerberg(a haunting Jesse Eisenberg) and his intelligent but not quite intelligent enough girlfriend(Rooney Mara). A shattered ego and broken heart set Mark on a quest for vengeance best served via mouse and keyboard. The genius programmer and Harvard student establishes a popular "Who's hotter?" website that crashes the university servers. An instant celeb, Zuckerberg is approached by the ambitious Winklevoss twins(both played brilliantly by Armie Hammer) and Divya Narendra(Max Minghella, making up for Art School Confidential) to construct a social network of their own. And so Facebook is born.
Well, not quite. Zuckerberg struck out on his own, and the question becomes whether or not he stole the idea and source codes for Facebook from his former partners. What's for sure is that Facebook's success did more than just make him rich. It made him a ton of very powerful, very motivated enemies as well. Standing by his side through the entire ordeal was his best and only friend, Eduardo Saverin(Andrew Garfield). Not only was Eduardo the financier(hey $1800 is a lot to a college kid!) and business partner, he's also the only guy willing to tolerate Zuckerberg's boarish behavior. I don't think I'm spoiling anything by saying he gets screwed royally. After that you could say he and Zuckerberg's status would read "In a relationship, and it's complicated".
It's a familiar story, but with Fincher and Sorkin nothing is ever as conventional as it seems. Told mostly through flashback as hisfore, The Social Nework is a cautionary tale presented by master storytellers. A story of two friends ripped apart not only by money and power, but by terminal isolation. Zuckerberg is a tragic character, a geek who defies the typical stereotype. Sure, he's awkward and nervous around women, but there's a burning desire to prove everybody else inferior that is like a dead weight on any personal relationship he ever forms. He simultaneously wants friends yet loathes them. His enemies aren't the only ones caught in the shrapnel of his powerful creative mind. Ironic that a man who specializes in driving people out of his life would then go on to create the most socially vibrant internet community in the entire world.
That's what makes what could've been a very dull story so intriguing. You want to root for Zuckerberg, even though all indications are that he's a scumbag swimming in a lake populated by douchebags. Rich, snotty douchebags at that. When Justin Timberlake shows up as Napster founder, Sean Parker, he makes Zuckberberg look like a saint by comparison. He's like the little devil sitting on your shoulder, whispering every bad thought into your brain.
All of these deviously evil performances are eaten up by a wonderful cast who are operating at the top of their games. We've seen Jesse Eisenberg play the nerd many times over, but here he adds an element of menace behind the clumsy smile that is often terrifying. I'm much more afraid of the guy who can ruin my life from thousands of miles away than the guy who just wants to beat my brains in. Andrew Garfield should and hopefully will get a supporting actor nomination for his portrayal. Those curious why he was chosen to play Spider-Man need look no further. The guy just has it. The breakout for me was Armie Hammer, playing dual roles as rich fratboy twins, Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss. Playing two different characters must be difficult enough, but trying to play twins must've been excrutiating, but Hammer nails it, giving each brother enough nuance to make them easily identifiable and unique. I honestly had no idea it was one actor until days later.
This is probably David Fincher's most restrained film stylistically, yet it feels lightyears ahead of almost anything we've seen this year. It's certainly Fincher's best work, mainly because it's so confident, trusting implicitly in his young cast and the writing to do the heavy lifting. I was afraid we would be treated to a bunch of lame attempts at being hip, like having every conversation shot through pop up windows, a distracting affliction which plagued Wall Street 2. Nope, it's all just straight forward, hard acting chops in display, and it's glorious. It's a wonder what can be accomplished just be combining those three basic ingredients: great script, great acting, great directing. If I have any complaint it's that there's a failed attempt to let Zuckerberg off the hook near the end, and it simply doesn't work. He's compelling enough. No need to soften him up.
Based in part on Ben Mazrich's novel The Accidental Billionaires
, the point has been made that many of the details have been exaggerated for dramatic effect. Wouldn't be the first time, nor does it matter. The Social Network is an emaculate film, but the question I have is if the "Facebook generation" will be driven to see it? There are no explosions, no guns, no fistfights(almost though!), just a well told story about cutthroat young entrepeneurs. It's a tricky thing. Facebook is cool and modern. It's a fad. A hugely successful one, but a fad nonetheless. Would you want to go see a movie about a fad you know you let yourself get swept up in? Or do you prove just how cool you are by not going to see it? You couldn't pay me to see a movie about the origin of comic books. Not the same thing, but it's not as far off as you might think.Whatever the case may be, let's hope that those young people go see it. Old folks, too. And then after they've updated their status with just how awesome The Social Network is, go back out and see it again with your friends. The ones you actually have met.
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