Movie Review: "The Social Network"

Seen on: September 17, 2010

The players: Director: David Fincher, Writer: Aaron Sorkin, Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Rooney Mara, Max Minghella, Armie Hammer

Facts of interest: Based on Ben Mezrich's book.

The plot: The film takes a look at what happened when Mark Zuckerberg created Facebook.

Our thoughts: Who thought a movie about Facebook could potentially go down as the year’s best film? David Fincher and screenwriter Aaron Sorkin made it happen, and thanks to their expertise, we can head to the theater and enjoy “The Social Network,” which just happens to be one of the most entertaining cinematic experiences I’ve ever had. That would certainly make for a solid status update.

Yes, these are indeed big words, but I’m not going to lie. “Network” instantly stole my complete attention and pulled me into the movie without ever giving me the opportunity to look away or think about anything besides what’s going down on the big screen. When the end credits started rolling, I was disappointed, because I just wanted this movie to go on and on and on. In my book, it really is that thrilling.

What you should know about this flick is that it’s an unauthorized account of how Mark Zuckerberg launched the social networking site that would eventually boast more than 500 million users. The film is based primarily on two lawsuits Zuckerberg had to deal with back when Facebook became popular, and Sorkin also turned to Ben Mezrich’s book for help with the structure of the story. 

Here’s the thing though: it really doesn’t matter how real this film is. I’m sure not everything we see in this thing is accurate, but I couldn’t care less. As a movie, this is an utterly compelling experience following a smart guy’s journey from a Harvard student to a billionaire, and everything from the writing to the acting and direction in this film is pretty much as flawless as it can get.

“The Social Network” starts with Mark (Jesse Eisenberg) being dumped by his girlfriend. Right away, we learn he’s quite the eccentric character. Call him a nerd or a weirdo or whatever, but his presence, attitude and entire posture are instantly fascinating to us spectators. Next thing we know, Mark is sitting in his dorm cooking up a Website that lets users compare people and pick the hottest ones.

Following the unexpected success of that site, Mark is approached by Tyler Winklevoss (Armie Hammer) and his twin brother Cameron, who ask him to help them set up a cool social online site exclusively for Harvard students. Mark loves the idea and wanders off to play around with it, and a few months later, he launches Facebook – all without really telling the Winklevosses about it, of course.

To cut things short, the movie then explores how Tyler and his brother decide to sue Mark for stealing their idea, while the other half of the film follows the mess that ensues between Mark and his best friend and business partner Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield). Essentially, the majority of “Network” is told through depositions and flashbacks, and that concept just works marvelously all throughout.

Sorkin’s script is so wonderful because it features nothing but goodies. It’s got fascinating dialogue and complex, interesting characters, and of course, it tells the story of a worldwide online phenomenon, which is always nice. Most importantly though, it tells that story in the most exciting way possible, because the plot’s pacing is what impressed me most in “The Social Network.” This one’s just as fast as it can get.

That leads me to Fincher, whose direction is an inspiration. I hear he expected a whole lot from his actors to make this a perfect flick, and to tell you the truth, it was all worth it. There is not a boring or unnecessary/weird moment in the movie, and things couldn’t move along any better. Fincher got lucky though, because in the end, it’s his fabulous cast makes everything else come together so beautifully.

Jesse Eisenberg is a terrific actor, and I can’t think of anyone else who could portray Zuckerberg’s eccentric character with this kind of energy and passion. He owns his character at all times and he owns every scene he’s in. The same goes for Garfield, who looks and acts the part and has a huge career ahead of him. Justin Timberlake does a great job as Sean Parker, and Armie Hammer is remarkable in the Winklevoss double role.

Freaky quote: "If you guys were the inventors of Facebook, you'd have invented Facebook." - Jesse Eisenberg

The final word: I could go on and on, but it’s time for you to friend this film yourself. Facebook hater or lover, go see it. It’s a superb film that works so well in so many ways, and it’s definitely an experience I will revisit at least once more. Timely, fast-paced and beautifully shot and edited, “The Social Network” earns an easy spot among 2010’s best films! If you haven’t already, join our Facebook fan page below.

Article by Franck Tabouring

Comments

[Ethan Pepper]

An incredible film, the title is perfect because it's not so much about Facebook as it is about how success changes people and relationships. None of the characters are entirely "good" or "bad" but all are believable in this movie unique film.