Considering this film is played out primarily in front of computer screens and across deposition desks, it is amazing how exciting and dramatic “The Social Network” manages to be. It flies out of the gates with a gorgeously written break-up scene which acts as the impetus for the events that follow. It never lets up — firing intelligent rat-a-tat-tat dialogue at us for almost 2 hours. At the end of the movie, we are filled with a comprehensive understanding of the events surrounding the creation of facebook. How truthful the events portrayed are is up for debate. There are usually two sides to every story. In this case, there are probably five or six sides to the story.
Fincher’s film is so precise and efficient. No scene feels wasted. No line is superfluous. It is a prime example of screenwriting perfection. The characters are all tremendously well drawn. The interaction between them is the unstoppable inertia that keeps the film ticking along. I doubt there will be a movie this year that will grab your attention more intently.
The performances are all stellar. As Mark Zuckerberg, Jesse Eisenberg delivers a conflicted character, a flawed genius who is driven by anger, insecurity and regret. The supporting cast are all genuinely believable. Only Justin Timberlake’s portrayal of Napster baron, Sean Parker, raises eyebrows. His tremendously famous face feels a little out of place at first, but he slips seamlessly into the role.
“The Social Network” is unquestionably one of the finer films of 2010. It will be nominated for many golden statues and will definitely walk away with a few. Due to its subject matter, a disagreement between billionaires, it is a hard film to invest emotions in. I wouldn’t say that I loved the movie… but I was ultimately fascinated by it. And when the dust settled during the final credits, I wasn’t sure which way I was leaning. I don’t think the film is unfair to Zuckerberg. In fact, I think it leaves us with a lot of gray area to contemplate.
