In 2003, Mark Zuckerberg was an awkward Harvard sophomore;
he had few friends, a failed relationship, and was a social pariah thanks to his
latest website. Nevertheless, his
skills as a computer program were well publicized, and his digital escapades
caught the attention of some very powerful peaople. After talking with the Winkelvoss twins about their idea for
a Harvard-wide social network, Zuckerberg created The Facebook, a remarkable
new social network defined by clean pages, no ads, and college student exclusivity. Six years later, Zuckerberg's site is
the biggest website in the world, with over a half billion users from 200 plus countries. The
Social Network chronicles the origins of Facebook, complete with all of the
lies, deceit, and backhandedness that made the site what it is today.
David Fincher helms an impressive cast in The Social Network; Jesse Eisenberg and Tustin Timberlake are the obvious
standouts as Mark Zuckerberg and Sean Parker, respectively. Both actors perfectly channel anything
you've ever read about the public figures that they portray. Eisenberg focuses on awkward quirkiness
and antisocial behavior"”if you've seen him in Zombieland and Adventureland,
then you'll know exactly what to expect.
He's very believable as a techno-nerd, and his sharp tongue and
defensive attitude bring a certain sense of business-savvy defensiveness to the
character. Timberlake, meanwhile,
taps into the cocky bravado that's made him a star. Sean Parker founded Napster, presided over Facebook, and
brought entire industries to their knees before ever hitting age 30"¦ Timberlake
naturally portrays him as a self-satisfied douchebag, and to great effect.
The story of Facebook is certainly in intriguing one, and
this film could not have come out at a more perfect time. As is often the case with successful
businesses, there are no "good guys" to be found here. Andrew Garfield plays the most
wholesome man in the whole story: former Facebook CFO Eduardo Saverin. Aside from him, everyone has dubious
motivations. Perhaps Fincher's
greatest accomplishment with The Social Network is that he manages to convey
just the slightest hint of normalcy within Zuckerberg's ironically antisocial tendencies.
Ultimately, it can't be denied that The Social Network tells the definitive story of one of the
greatest creations of the technology age.
David Fincher was the ideal director to tackle this project; his gritty
imagery and dark humor are perfectly suited to Aaron Sorkin's story. There's no question that the film will
get you thinking about the implications of your everyday Internet visits, but
it takes a real nerd to fully grasp some of the major elements of the film. The Social Network makes for a good
story, but it ultimately falls short of true greatness.
