The Social Network

When word first came out that there was going to be a Facebook movie that was my first reaction "There is going to be a Facebook movie?!?" It was tough to initially sell it for me, but then the movie gained director David Fincher (Fight Club, Se7en) and screenwriter Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing, A Few Good Men). Then the critical reviews started coming out (it currently has a 97 on Rotten Tomatoes). The moment that sealed the deal is when the trailer featuring Kanye's song "Power" hit. I was hooked I needed to see this movie, and by most accounts many of you will probably see it in the near future if you haven't already.

The movie opens in a Cambridge bar that I have frequented on several occasions, and like most great motivators it all starts with a bad break up. Sorkin shows off a fast paced dialogue while Fincher sets the mood with the grungy lighting and turns a casual encounter into an eerie setting, their work really mashes up well together. In fact most of the best scenes happen when the characters are sitting down at a table with quick cuts and quicker dialogue. The sharp wit moves a mile a minute and if you lose focus you may miss an entire conversation.

Jesse Eisenberg stars as the CEO Mark Zuckerburg, many just may consider him Michael Cera lite but don't be mistaken, Cera may be better know but Eisenberg is a much better actor with a quality resume of films with another great addition. This role isn't too far off from his base, a socially inept outcast, but he somehow makes a self-interested asshole likable. You can't help but feel sorry for him at moments, or not depending on your perspective. Sorkin doesn't write the script taking one side or the other. He gets as many sources as he can and allows the audience to play the jury on each character which becomes fitting as the frame story takes you in and out of two lawsuits occurring simultaneously. The one source he is unable to get is Zuckerberg himself, not surprising, but what is stunning is that the lack of participation may have helped the story. By not getting this perspective it's no longer the Facebook/Zuckerburg movie, but rather a book about Zuckerburg adding more ambiguity to the character and more free range for Eisenberg to let loose.

This movie features a very strong ensemble cast and is easy to see why these actor will be the next generation of big names. Andrew Garfield plays Eduardo Saverin the C.F.O. and Zuckerburg's only friend in the entire film. I've heard some people say that the nicer the person the worse the businessman. Well Saverin is the nicest player in the whole group and in a group of various shades of gray he may be the lightest shade but still doesn't come out squeaky clean. Rooney Mara plays the heart breaker Erica Albright and her fast tongue and strong performance set the tone for the movie and is probably what landed her the lead role in the American version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. It wouldn't be a David Fincher movie without some tricky computer imaging and that's exactly what he does to have one actor play both Winklevoss brothers. Then there is Justin Timberlake who you may not be able to take seriously due to some of his past endeavors. He really proves himself as the young entrepreneur who co-found Napster Sean Parker. He keeps the character sleek and his work on SNL helped hone in on his delivery skills. Timberlake flirts with the audience the entire movie so one minute you’ll love his enthusiasm next you’ll hate his treachery. He proves to be fantastic which may be why Entertainment Weekly wrote an article about how all three supporting actors could receive nominations come award season. That may not be true but Sorkin definitely will and Fincher should.

The Social Network is a modern day Citizen Kane. Both films feature a young upstart looking to make a name for himself in and both want acceptance from society. Even some of the scenes in the movie bear striking resemblance to some of Orson Welles' masterpiece. And why shouldn't this be a modern day retelling, the Internet has clearly taken the over as our main source of information. While I was writing this review I had Facebook up in the background the entire time, not doing anything with it but merely catching up on the tedium of some of my friends life that their inherent narcissism felt the entire world should know. That's what Facebook is all about, it’s an ego driven way to share the minutia of everyday life and I am right up there with some of the worst offenders. Sorkin is able to capture this feeling and addiction to this program in his script and makes this film an early Oscar contender. A