The Social Network
In the addictive drama The Social Network, director David Fincher grapples with the disintegrating power and corrosive mystique of technological advancements. Focusing on the creation of social media giant Facebook by Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg), The Social Network explores the haunting loneliness that Zuckerberg was faced with due to his obsessions, as well as the ramifications of virality.
Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield), Zuckerberg’s only real friend, is eventually pushed away as Zuckerberg is sucked ever deeper into the expansion of Facebook. Saverin plays along until they meet Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake), who immediately ticks Saverin off. When Saverin, who had financed the group until this moment, decides to freeze his account, Zuckerberg takes it personally. The reason, as Zuckerberg puts it, is that “...the difference between Facebook and everyone else, we don't crash EVER! If those servers are down for even a day, our entire reputation is irreversibly destroyed!”
Aside from instantaneous praise or rejection, the internet is clearly shown to be a breeding ground for hate. The first scene in the film is Zuckerberg being dumped by his girlfriend, Erica (Rooney Mara). He quickly takes to the internet to berate Erica in every way possible. She says, “As if every thought that tumbles through your head was so clever it would be a crime for it not to be shared. The Internet's not written in pencil, Mark, it's written in ink.” This sentiment echoes throughout the entire film. Everything can be traced, and nobody really has privacy. At least, not when you have Facebook.
Fincher is aided in his direction by outstanding technical achievement. The score, by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, features pulsing, electronic beats that emphasize the dark and foreboding nature of the internet. Their score won an Academy Award, and rightfully so. The music fits the atmosphere, as well as the clever script by Aaron Sorkin. Clever is an understatement. The adapted screenplay is chock full of bon mots, from “...you're going to go through life thinking that girls don't like you because you're a nerd. And I want you to know, from the bottom of my heart, that won't be true. It'll be because you're an asshole,” to “If you guys were the inventors of Facebook, you'd have invented Facebook.”
Going hand in hand with the snappy dialogue is a solid, non-linear structure, involving two lawsuits against Zuckerberg. The multiple timelines only works so well because of the incredibly precise editing, which cuts with gusto from one courtroom scene to the next and back to Harvard. The edit goes at a breakneck pace, ensuring that this is one highly entertaining ride.
Eisenberg as the creator and Garfield as Saverin are pitch perfect in their roles. The thing that stuck out the most was the complete embodiment of each characters’ mannerisms. Garfield is particularly adept at this, and his emotional state is evident from his body language alone. One scene, involving Garfield storming out of a conference room after an ambush, is thrumming with the energy only possible with such a remarkable cast of thespians.
While the creation of Facebook might have spelled doom for social interaction, it certainly provides for one hell of an enjoyable show while we wait.
{★★★½}