The Social Network

Well, for those of you (like me) who didn't think Facebook was an interesting subject for a movie, David Fincher and Aaron Sorkin have proven you wrong.

The Social Network is a solid film. Despite its deceptively dubious subject matter, Fincher, Sorkin and a top-notch cast create a compelling, thematic drama and incisive character study. Arguably no film has better-defined the Internet generation than The Social Network, and it's both fascinating and disconcerting in its portrayal of modern society's emptiness and isolation.

Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) is an ambitious but socially-awkward sophomore at Harvard. After a messy breakup with girlfriend Erica (Rooney Mara), Zuckerberg gains revenge by creating a website, Facesmash, where users can rate the "hotness" of Harvard co-eds. Zuckerberg is approached by the Winklevoss twins (both played by Arnie Hammer) to help develop a social networking site. Using their ideas, Zuckerberg goes behind their back and, enlisting the help of friend Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield), creates The Facebook, a networking site. Facebook is an instant hit, angering the Winklevosses. But Zuckerberg's newfound fame and success go to his head, and he shuns Eduardo as Facebook goes global, leading to lawsuits by his disgruntled colleagues.

The Social Network succeeds on many levels. The movie is at base a typical corporate drama, but works even better as an exploration of alienation. Fincher isn't exactly a subtle director, but he does a fine job capturing both the appeal and emptiness of Internet culture. An early scene, where Zuckerberg starts Facesmash as revenge against his ex, is on the nose but gets the point across: while more popular students drink and party, Zuckerberg gets revenge in the isolated quiet of his dorm. Fiction allows an individual to escape from reality, but the Internet allows one to actually live their fantasy, isolating them from real-world interaction no matter "popular" they are with unseen Internet friends. Anyone who's spent a decent amount of time online can relate to this.

The film is equally scathing in its show of unbridled capitalism and cut-throat competitiveness. Zuckerberg's piratical behavior, stealing ideas and backstabbing friends, isn't too shocking by now, but other elements are. The Winklevoss twins, attempting to bring Zuckerberg to heel the "gentleman's" way, are stymied by Harvard's President (Douglas Urbanski), who basically tells them that they should shut up and invent something else. The object isn't money but fame and recognition: and yet Zuckerberg ultimately finds Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake), the erratic but brilliant creator of Napster, as repulsive as the Harvard snobs he rejected. When success is society's ultimate object, honest human interactions are less important: The culture is self-perpetuating, Fincher and Sorkin brilliantly argue, providing Facebook with a perfect niche.

Most interesting, of course, is Zuckerberg himself, brilliantly portrayed by Jesse Eisenberg (Adventureland). As portrayed by the film, Zuckerberg is an anti-social loser, a computer genius who's a failure at everything else. Citizen Kane comparisons have been thrown around by the more excitable critics but Richard Nixon might be a better comparison: Zuckerberg lacks Kane's relative innocence, and his actions are a campaign of calculated spite, self-advancement and petty revenge against those who daren't accept him into their social circle. Even those who do appreciate him (the Winklevosses, Parker) are screwed over for not appreciating him on *his* terms. Either Zuckerberg is a complete asshole, or else a pitiably empty shell with a facade of cultivated nastiness. Either way, he isn't a pretty sight.

Fincher's direction is solid if fairly restrained: only a few bits jar, namely a stylized crew-racing scene that seems out-of-place. His wonderfully dark mis-en-scene, all crowded dorms, bars and hotel rooms, creates a palpable atmosphere of psychic violence. Sorkin's script is brilliantly constructed, using flashbacks within flashbacks with consummate skill, and as to be expected from his work, the dialogue is sharp, witty and incisive. Trevor Reznor and Atticus Ross's score is also superb. It's a technically sound film.

Jesse Eisenberg, as mentioned before, is superb. He makes Zuckerberg a believable, well-rounded character without trying for unearned sympathy: he's at base a petty, hateful prick who's compelling without being likeable. I wouldn't be surprised if he gets an Oscar nod for this role. Arnie Hammer's dual performance is remarkable, creating two completely-distinct characters. Andrew Garfield and Justin Timberlake are also perfect, and Rooney Mara's small-but-crucial role is well-handled. Douglas Urbanski gets arguably the film's best scene: as a certain Mr. Jenkins has pointed out, it's disconcerting to consider that his character, Larry Summers, is now President Obama's chief economic advisor!

The Social Network is, all around, a wonderful piece of work. Some critics may have gone too far in proclaiming it a masterpiece, but it certainly is an impressive, insightful and disquieting film.