At first, news about a film based on the creation of a website would be something to scoff at. Audiences would sarcastically think to themselves, “What will they think of next?” It would lead us to believe that screenwriters have officially run out of fresh ideas for stories. Not true. What director David Fincher presents to us is the opposite in his new film, The Social Network. After teaming up with talented scribe Aaron Sorkin, writer of the television series, The West Wing, the two have brought to life the story of friendship and betrayal in the rise of one of our biggest communication advancements.
It is Fall 2003 in the prestigious land of academia known as Harvard University, and student Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) is aching to boost his status on campus and become known for something. After a harsh break-up with his girlfriend, Erica Albright (Rooney Mara), he gets drunk and goes on a techno-frenzy. He creates a website called "FaceMash," where male students rate girls based on their looks, with the help his friend, Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield). After realizing his talent with computer-programming, Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss (both played by Armie Hammer), two very wealthy students, recruit Mark to assist them with launching their new website, Harvard Connection, which is exclusively for Harvard students. After being accused of "stealing" their idea, Mark is soon faced with threats of lawsuit and the loss of his only friends. All the while, he is being encouraged by Napster founder, Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake), to expand Facebook into a global network.
Eisenberg nails the jerk attitude of Mark Zuckerberg. He’s not a person you would associate with; but he portrays Zuckerberg in such a way that first makes you root for him, then hate him, then at the last minute, feel sorry for the situation he’s sunk into. Newcomer Andrew Garfield is a star-in-the-making. He plays Eduardo as a calm and quiet cohort to Mark; but when he performs his scenes when a rise in emotion is needed, we see what he can really do as an actor. And Justin Timberlake brings his famous all-star charm to his role as Sean Parker. Timberlake portrays Parker as the embodiment of business-world temptation without flaw. We know he can sing. We know he always delivers the funny on Saturday Night Live whenever he hosts. But this performance officially makes him a true actor.
Fincher has the noticeable ability to make even the minor characters memorable, as seen two years ago in his last film, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. He makes sure that every performance counts, and gets all the feelings out of each person; even if they only have a few scenes. He achieves this with characters such as Erica Albright, and Christy Lee (Brenda Song), the latter of who quickly becomes a “facebook groupie.” He gets his cast to do the best possible job they can, and it shows.
Sorkin adapts his screenplay from the book, The Accidental Billionaires, by Ben Mezrich. Sorkin’s script is one of the most well-written to come along in a while. Although it’s mostly drama, it’s also peppered with some humor. Between the anger and jealousy spouted by the characters, there are some very memorable quotes. One of the best is said by Timberlake after a one-night-stand. The characters deliver the sharp-as-a-tack dialogue at great speed, especially in the opening scene shared by Eisenberg and Mara. The rapid exchange of words draws us in, wanting us to listen to them as we find out what makes them tick.
David Fincher cuts the story back and forth between Facebook’s creation and the lawsuits over its rightful ownership. This technique highlights the theme of best friends who become bitter rivals. He goes from the wild and crazy life of college, to the ambitious shark tank of the business world. He presents these two worlds in such a way that gets the viewer invested in the plot; because in the film, college isn’t just about college, and business isn’t just about business.
If Sorkin and Fincher can make a film about a website so enthralling, the sky’s the limit for these two talents. The film is one of the best achievements in story and character this year. The cast brings such kinetic energy to the film and eagerly feeds off of the dialogue like starving lions. The story not only shows how Facebook became a communication revolution; but also a cultural one. In short, The Social Network is a film to be celebrated.
Final grade: A
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment