Directed By: David Fincher
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake, & Armie Hammer
MPAA Rating: PG-13
My Rating: 10 / 10
I returned to school this week, hence I haven't been able to update this blog as often as I did during Christmas break. My time constraints were worsened by the return of some of my favorite TV shows (I'm looking at you, American Idol). Even still, I was determined to make time for The Social Network, a film I had seen in theaters and had been eagerly waiting to see again. Often, when you see a movie once, you are under a delusion that it is better than it really is. And, because of my near-raving adoration for David Fincher's "Facebook movie" after my first viewing, I just had to see it again. Fortunately, The Social Network isn't just as good as I remember it...it is even better. A morality tale about the effects big business can have on friendships, The Social Network is not the scathing condemnation of Mark Zuckerberg that people expected (and that some wanted). Instead, it is a decidedly fair and honest portrayal of his complex struggle to deal with unprecedented success, fame, and fortune.
Mark Zuckerberg is played here by Jesse Eisenberg, who ably embodies all of Zuckerberg's famed social quirks and awkward mannerisms. The debate of whether Zuckerberg might have Asperger's syndrome has become very popular recently, though I would wager that he is just socially uncomfortable, no official diagnosis needed. Mark was a student at Harvard when, after his girlfriend (Rooney Mara) broke up with him, he began the scandalous Facemash website, which allowed people to compare the women of Harvard, deciding which of two was more beautiful. The site shut down Harvard's network in a matter of hours and vilified Mark, who later claimed anger and drunkenness as his motives. Intrigued by the furor a Mark Zuckerberg production could cause, the Winklevoss twins (both played by Armie Hammer) approach Mark to help with a website they are preparing to launch, the Harvard Connection, a social network exclusively designed for Harvard. Exclusivity is key.
Weeks later, after constantly dodging contact with the Winklevosses, Mark launches his own website with the financial support of his best friend, Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield). This site is called The Facebook, and it is a social network designed exclusively for Harvard. The film then follows the next several years of Mark Zuckerberg's life, as he is sued by the Winklevoss twins and faces the end of his friendship with Eduardo. Eduardo, edged out of the company by Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake), the founder of Napster, is angry that the company he and Mark started is being yanked away from him by a drug-addled, womanizing troublemaker, and is even angrier that Mark is letting it happen. Eventually, even Eduardo sues Mark, and the two face off in some of the most tense, masterful scenes of the entire film. It is, ultimately, their relationship that propels The Social Network to new heights and a greater poignancy. After all, not many of us know what it's like to have a company worth several billion dollars. But, we all know what it's like to be betrayed by a friend.
Now, if all of this sounds a little heavy to you, fear not. Aaron Sorkin's screenplay is dramatic, but it is also very witty. The dialog is sharp and crisp and keeps the narrative moving with real entertainment value. Director David Fincher masterfully combines the dialog, the score, and the performances during tech-heavy scenes to make even them feel fast-paced and exciting; in other words, never before has watching people type on computers been this fascinating. And the performances are, by and large, perfect. Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, and Armie Hammer shine in three of the year's absolute best performances, and Justin Timberlake proves here that he is just as good of an actor as he is a singer. While many people might go into The Social Network expecting a scathing portrayal of Mark Zuckerberg's life, one that paints him as a self-righteous asshole, they won't find that with this film. Though Zuckerberg has disputed just about everything in the film (except for his fondness for flip-flops and shorts), this is a film that will actually help him more than hurt him. Though the ride is a little rocky, he ends the film as a distinctly sympathetic and likeable character...far more kind-hearted genius, than money-grubbing villain.
Mark Zuckerberg is played here by Jesse Eisenberg, who ably embodies all of Zuckerberg's famed social quirks and awkward mannerisms. The debate of whether Zuckerberg might have Asperger's syndrome has become very popular recently, though I would wager that he is just socially uncomfortable, no official diagnosis needed. Mark was a student at Harvard when, after his girlfriend (Rooney Mara) broke up with him, he began the scandalous Facemash website, which allowed people to compare the women of Harvard, deciding which of two was more beautiful. The site shut down Harvard's network in a matter of hours and vilified Mark, who later claimed anger and drunkenness as his motives. Intrigued by the furor a Mark Zuckerberg production could cause, the Winklevoss twins (both played by Armie Hammer) approach Mark to help with a website they are preparing to launch, the Harvard Connection, a social network exclusively designed for Harvard. Exclusivity is key.
Now, if all of this sounds a little heavy to you, fear not. Aaron Sorkin's screenplay is dramatic, but it is also very witty. The dialog is sharp and crisp and keeps the narrative moving with real entertainment value. Director David Fincher masterfully combines the dialog, the score, and the performances during tech-heavy scenes to make even them feel fast-paced and exciting; in other words, never before has watching people type on computers been this fascinating. And the performances are, by and large, perfect. Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, and Armie Hammer shine in three of the year's absolute best performances, and Justin Timberlake proves here that he is just as good of an actor as he is a singer. While many people might go into The Social Network expecting a scathing portrayal of Mark Zuckerberg's life, one that paints him as a self-righteous asshole, they won't find that with this film. Though Zuckerberg has disputed just about everything in the film (except for his fondness for flip-flops and shorts), this is a film that will actually help him more than hurt him. Though the ride is a little rocky, he ends the film as a distinctly sympathetic and likeable character...far more kind-hearted genius, than money-grubbing villain.
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