The Social Network

When I first heard about The Social Network I had the same reaction as a lot of people. “A movie about Facebook, how could that be good?” This thought was dismissed fairly quickly when I found out that David Fincher was directing it. I figured, if he is interested in this then there has to be a story there I don’t know about. I am a little biased about the movie do to my love of David Fincher. He has directed some of the best movies of the last 20 years, Fight Club, Seven, and Zodiac. Even his lesser films are interesting and always visually wonderful, Panic Room, Alien 3, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. So knowing Fincher was involved got me interested. Then I found out Aaron Sorkin wrote the screenplay and Trent Reznor was composing the films score. At this point I was pumped about, “that Facebook movie”.

The Social Network ended up being a lot more than just the Facebook movie.

At this point late in the awards season it is a little hard to write a review. The movie has been met with pretty much universal critical acclaim and won almost every critic award out there. So the big question is, does The Social Network live up to the hype? Yes it does, in every way this film deserves the acclaim it has received.

The story is told through a series of flashbacks occurring during two separate depositions. Mark Zuckerberg is being sued by his ex partner/best friend for the way their business relationship dissolved. Simultaneously he is also being sued by three ex Harvard students who claim he stole their idea when creating Facebook. The entire movie consists of a few types of scenes, people talking in offices, people talking in colleges, people talking around computers and people talking in restaurants.

Here is the amazing part; Fincher and crew make it completely involving and fast paced. The direction is tight and focused. The cinematography is beautiful to look at. The score by Reznor, is dark and layered and pushes the film along very well. The dialogue is Sorkin at his rapid fire best.  To top it all off, the acting is very strong. Mark is played by Jesse Eisenburg in easily his best performance to date.

Fincher gives us a film that is a great look at our desire to be connected. Zuckerberg is the best kind of protagonist. He is flawed, he is driven and he wants to change the world. It’s staggering to think when the movie begins in 2003 how much is going to change in the next few years. Facebook has become a part of a majority of American’s (and many abroad) life. It had a huge role in the last presidential election. It is practically unheard of at this point to have a business today that does not have a corresponding Facebook page. This movie shows that a few ambitious people with the right idea at the exact perfect time can change society drastically.

There is a scene towards the end of The Social Network, Mark has just delivered news to his partner that they have received a half million dollar investment. This is it, this is the dream coming true, they are on their way to importance, wealth and fame. Mark hangs up the phone and watches the party going on inside of his house. He is becoming important like he has always wanted yet he is still separated from the people he wants to connect with. He wants people to like him, this is echoed over and over throughout the film. He has created this social network that will supposedly connect us all yet he is still removed from the actual social interaction going on. He looks through the glass unable to connect or relate on an actual personal level.

Regardless of if you like Facebook or even care about Facebook this movie will work for you. It deals with the same themes that make all good stories. It deals with ambition, friendship, betrayal, and power. Fincher has crafted a film that speaks to us all. At this point I have seen the film twice and each time it has led to long discussions afterward about life, technology, business ethics and the future of our society.

Seriously what else could we ask for in a movie?