To get the hysterical statement out of the way The Social Network is this generation’s Wall Street. Like that film, it is a story concerned with greed and its mistaken belief of providing happiness to its owner. It is also a film about friendship, not the virtual but the real. It is a film entirely concerned with capitalism and the American Dream, and the American college system offering the perfect spectrum through which to examine these ideas.
For a film so concerned with ideas it takes a world-class writer and director to pull off not just an educational film, but an entertaining one. Aaron Sorkin, arguably the greatest living writer (no overstatement), has written a film about young twenty somethings without sacrificing his phenomenal dialogue. The film is paced wonderfully with machine-gun prose making everything seem immediate and intelligent without it ever seeming verbose or arch. It would not do the writer justice to merely quote his dialogue back in this review, needless to say, with a cast of virtual unknowns he has probably single-handedly provided them with the move to the top of casting wish lists.
The film, unjustifiably so, is often referred to as Sorkin’s film, not Fincher but what has clearly taken place here is a collaboration. There is no way Sorkin would have made the decision to shoot the film like a gothic horror, or cast actors who would decidedly revel in the pathos and egotism rather than try to find sympathy. Simply this is merely another string to Fincher’s already heaving bow. Zodiac previously proved the man could direct an adult, mature film without the need for visual fireworks to compliment his film. The Social Network more than any previous film in the director’s canon is a mature one. Not that Fincher has ever made a juvenile film, in fact from a young age he has dealt with incredibly important, dark and challenging material, but this is a film that absolutely depends on the human condition. The unseen. The thought process. What Fincher does so masterfully is he never lets the patter falter or feel the need to bring the usual visual gait to the story. Often overlooked by the Academy given his rather acidic tales prior, this is a film that can give Fincher his long overdue award without making the academy seem off-kilter.
Performance wise it is undeniably the best performed Fincher movie ever. A cast of young, mostly unknown actors all inhabit their characters, particularly Jesse Eisenberg and Justin Timberlake. Eisenberg, now nominated and equally criticised, brings tiny moments to Zuckerberg making him sympathetic through his sheer hatred for those around him. His performance is filled with small tics and quirks; and an intensity that never erupts into a verbal or physical assault. He plays Zuckerberg like a shell of a man who has barely started adulthood and it is entirely deserving of the accolades he is receiving. His character is horrible but never played as a hissable villain. Timberlake also plays entirely against what the audience expectation of his character is. Never anything less than suave and loaded with charisma his veneer never topples away, yet consistently allows the audience to see his character is not quite as honest as one would have hoped. The rest of the cast are equally wonderful, though Eisenberg and Timberlake make their roles seem effortless which is something acting should always appear to be but rarely does. Special mention should also go to Andrew Garfield and Armie Hammer. Garfield for bringing a crumbling intensity to his Eduardo Saverin, and Hammer for playing two roles and making them feel entirely individual from one another.
Social Network is being referred to heavily as a zeitgest film. A movie capitalising on current headlines to sell tickets, seem instantly relevant and momentarily down with the kids. For starters the film is not in the slightest bit about facebook, in much the same way The Godfather is not about the Mafia. This is a film, ultimately, about friendship. A far more significant and universal theme in the end. Its sadness and power stemming from the fact that a man gains the world as a friend, but loses the only real one he ever had.
Its final image is about as heartbreaking and blackly comic as any other film you are likely to see last year or any other year for that matter.
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