What can I say about The Social Network that hasn't already been said? "A Landmark Film", "The Defining Film Of Our Times", all of these statements are true. To keep it short, everything you've heard about The Social Network is true. The cast is phenomenal, the script is solid, and Fincher directs what will probably become (or possibly already is) a career defining film. Everyone involved is on the top of their game and there isn't a weak link to be found in any aspect of this movie.
I'll start off with the most striking element of the film, the acting. Rarely do you see a cast of this caliber. Everyone on display here is worthy of an Oscar, with Jesse Eisenberg giving what will no doubt become the performance of his career. As Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg, Eisenberg displays acting abilities I don't even think he knew he had. The guy somehow makes you root for someone who is displayed as nothing but an asshole and who has almost no redeeming qualities at all, other than the fact that he's less douchey than the villains in the film, the two Harvard twins, Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss who give Zuckerberg the idea for what will eventually become Facebook.
Eisenberg's entire character can be summed up in the opening scene of the film, where in the span of a few minutes he manages to show himself as nothing but an egotistical, obsessed-with-status douchebag who blatantly insults the woman sitting across from him on their first date, insinuating that she doesn't have what it takes to get into a local fraternity. This scene, along with a tense exchange between Zuckerberg and the Winklevoss' lawyer, are two of my favorite scenes in the film and really showcase Eisenberg. What's really interesting about his character is that he doesn't change, he's still the same asshole in the end of the movie that he was in the beginning, the only difference being that he knows he's an asshole, whereas in the beginning he was sort of blissfully unaware.
On the supporting side you have Andrew Garfield and Justin Timberlake, two guys who play completely different characters in the film. Garfield plays Zuckerberg's friend Eduardo Saverin, the man responsible for creating the computer algorithm that becomes the basis for Facebook. Like nearly all of the other characters in the film he is obsessed with social status, but not to the point where he'll screw over his friend, which is what Zuckerberg ultimately does. The look that Garfield gives Eisenberg when he learns that his friend has betrayed him is enough to get him an Oscar nod alone in my book.
Then you have the third man in the equation, Sean Parker; creator of Napster, and played in the film by Justin Timberlake, someone who I never would have expected to have become a good an actor as he has. Timberlake is excellent here, portraying Parker as someone who is even more egotistical than Zuckerberg and who is described in the film, quite appropriately, as a "Wild Card". Parker is the extreme version of Zuckerberg; he party's, snorts coke, and is completely full of himself. He doesn't have to win, but I'd be very disappointed if Timberlake didn't get an Oscar nod. He's come a long way since N'Sync, and he deserves the nomination.
It's no wonder the actors are so damn good in the movie, they have a great script to work with. Written by Aaron Sorkin (A Few Good Men, The West Wing), the script flows incredibly well, and although it might not be 100% factually accurate, it makes for one hell of an entertaining movie. I predict an Oscar win for this one.
In the directors chair is David Fincher, who has yet to make a bad film in my book. Compared to most of his other films this is the least exciting from a visual standpoint. That's not to say that it doesn't look great, it does, there just aren't any super elaborate camera moves or special effects, other than the Winklevoss twins both being played by Armie Hammer. It's a seamless special effect, and one that has come a long way since the days of Back to the Future: Part 2, but it's nothing that's going to get the film a Best Visual Effects Oscar.
Anyway, getting back to Fincher, as I said before, the guy has yet to make a bad film. Sure, some have been better than others (Alien 3 is probably his weakest film, but even that movie's pretty good when looking at it as its own movie and not as a sequel to Aliens) but when you take a look at his filmography you'll see that the guy has made some of the best, most original movies of the past fifteen years, starting with Seven and ending most recently with The Social Network. As with Sorkin, I think an Oscar win for Best Director is all but guaranteed for Fincher.
On the musical front, a lot of talk has been going around about Trent Reznor's score, and while I think it was good, I don't really know why it's getting the attention it's getting. The best part of the score is right in the beginning when Zuckerberg is running back to his dorm room after blowing it with his date. The score for this scene is absolutely haunting and gives a great sense of foreboding for the journey Zuckerberg is about to embark on. As for the rest of the score, it's really more subtle in nature and isn't really meant to be a hummable John Williams-like tune.
To sum up here, all I can say is see this film. I promise you will like it. I realize that's a pretty bold statement, but I can honestly say that while you might not have the same reaction to the film as I had, you won't be able to deny that the performances in the movie are outstanding and that the film itself is truly a masterpiece from a gifted filmmaker that shows no signs of slowing down.
My Rating - 10/10
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