Reviewed by Kate Rodger
There has been much online hype about this movie, but in this instance it’s forgivable. Here is a movie forged in the fiery pit of the internet, so much so it feels like we might even see one of our profile pictures.
This is the Facebook story according to the Ben Mezrich book The Accidental Billionaires. It’s the somewhat embellished, heightened-for-the-big-screen tale of how Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg invented Facebook, and how his best friend, along with several others, ended up sueing him for millions.
David Fincher (Se7en/Fight Club) directs, The West Wing’s Aaron Sorkin writes, lead roles are filled by Jesse Eisenberg as Zuckerberg, Andrew Garfield as Eduardo Saverin and Justin Timberlake as Napster founder Sean Parker. Through their combined effort, bound together with a pitch-perfect score from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, The Social Network snap crackles and pops its way onto the big screen so memorably, you’ll be in the next queue to see it again.
Its easy to jump on the critics’ bandwagon here, this film has received hefty praise from some heavyweight reviewers. Rolling Stone magazine’s Peter Travers said the film “gets you drunk on movies again”. Former Variety reviewer Todd McCarthy likened The Social Network to Citizen Kane.
Website rottentomatoes.com rated the film 97 percent “fresh”, metacritic.com wasn’t far behind with 95 percent.
Why so good? The intoxicatingly crisp and clever script, with dialogue you can taste and savour delivered by a brilliant young cast under the watchful seasoned eye of a master storyteller.
British actor Andrew Garfield was a stand-out for me, with Eisenberg a close second. Timberlake doesn’t embarrass himself either, and one imagines a continued and more determined sashay away from the recording studio and in the direction of Hollywood.
Several gripping scenes will resonate with me for a long time. The opening scene between Zuckerberg and his girlfriend talking in a pub sets the entire tone and pace of the film, Sorkin prose at its finest. Later in the film, Fincher manages to make rowing feel far sexier and dramatic than I’ve ever imagined, re-working classic Peer Gynt to ridiculously entertaining and rousing effect.
So, am I spouting forth my praise too effusively? Is The Social Network as good as all that? Is it worth shelling out $15 for a ticket? No I’m not, yes is it, and no question.
Five stars.
The Social Network
:: Director: David Fincher
:: Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Justin Timberlake, Rashida Jones, Rooney Mara, Max Minghella, Joseph Mazzello
:: Running Time: 121 mins
:: Rating: M - contains offensive language
:: Release Date: November 11, 2010
:: Trailer: Watch here
