Monday, October 4, 2010

The Social Network




Film: The Social Network

Starring: Jesse Eisenberg (Adventureland and Zombieland), Andrew Garfield (The Imaginarium of Dr Paranassus), and Justin Timberlake (Alpha Dog and Black Snake Moan)

U.S. Release: 2010 (rated PG-13)

Director: David Fincher (Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Fight Club)

Genre: Drama

Runtime: 120 minutes


It hits us every year with a vengeance, and Oscar season is always sure to create a public stir. Without missing a beat, David Fincher's latest picture, The Social Network, has raced out of the gates and generated quite the buzz since its weekend release. Fincher, historically known for his darker taste with films like Seven and Fight Club, has tackled an emotional drama for the second consecutive time. Except now, he gives us a dose of reality with his interpretation of the back story behind the biggest social website on the planet, Facebook.

The Social Network is pieced together by the perspective's of the site's creator Mark Zuckerberg (Eisenberg), former CFO Eduardo Saverin (Garfield), and a few of their fellow Harvard students. While engaged in two civil lawsuits, Zuckerberg and company recount all sides of the story. We follow the journey of Facebook from it's origins, and Fincher shows us the transformation of an idea into a billion-dollar company. As you can imagine, behind every billion-dollar company lies a tale of betrayal. The story behind The Social Network is no different.

Director David Fincher's depiction of the aura around Facebook seems somewhat embellished throughout the film. However, the story is so intriguing and current that you can't help but get sucked in. We all have a profile on Facebook (and even if you don't, you certainly know what it is) and understand just how popular of a product we're talking about here. It's arguably the biggest creation of our generation. Couple together a large brand name with a tale of let down and betrayal, and you're sure to have a hit. Which is exactly what Fincher has here.

The Social Network's trio of young actors all have bright futures ahead. Eisenberg did a fantastic job as the brain behind Facebook, even though his character has limited likability. Garfield and Timberlake were also stellar in supporting, but noteworthy, roles. With a tasteful combination of charm and sophisticated wit, the film will keep you hooked. But no movie is perfect, and Fincher's latest work has its fair share of flaws. The Social Network will smother you with sarcasm and fast paced dialogue that can be difficult to keep up with at times. There are moments in the film where countless smug remarks by the lead characters cause feelings of nausea, but they are few and far between. Certainly not enough to deter from the enjoyment of the movie.

As the first buzz-worthy film of this prime time Oscar season, Fincher has set the bar relatively high. The director and some of his cast are sure to earn nominations for their roles in this epic tale of entrepreneurism. So do yourself a favor and listen to all of your "friends" out there. Get to the theatre soon and check out The Social Network.


Stars: 3 and a half stars out of 4

Grade: A-

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