Director: David Fincher
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Justin Timberlake, Andrew Garfield
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When we sit down at our computers in the morning, our hair disheveled, with a thunderous bowlful of Rice Krispies, what do we do next? That’s right, we head straight for the internet and – more than likely – any number of websites that connect us in some way with our fellow earthlings. Chances are that one of the stops on our internet itineraries will be Facebook, the social networking site that we have all helped to develop into a worldwide phenomenon. However, like the human race trapped in The Matrix, we tend not to ask questions of where the things we use in our daily lives come from. Facebook falls into that list of cherished pieces of our lives; it is hard to imagine a world without the internet, let alone Facebook. There are incredible stories behind even the most common – and essential - facets of our culture, and the same goes for our beloved Facebook. Behind the friend count competitions, the ridiculous cat memes and the half-naked pictures of our favorite drunk coed Sally is a fascinating origin tale that is worthy of a superhero - or super villain, depending on who you ask. That, my dear friend counts, is the spirit of director David Fincher’s 2010 cinematic splash The Social Network.
While the film takes many creative liberties with the story of Facebook mastermind Mark Zuckerberg (fittingly played by Jesse Eisenberg) and his rise to ten-digit immortality, The Social Network is by no means an unwatchable pile of bloated hyperbole and special effects. Instead, David Fincher presents us with a film that oozes charisma and atmosphere, created in no small part by the witty, pistol-quick dialogue and dead-eye acting. The set designs are carefully drab, underplaying the glamorous associations with such idealized places as Harvard and Beverly Hills. These elements help to draw us into Zuckerberg’s world, one that thrives on gossip, greed, betrayal, sex, and everything else in the Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake) handbook…. wait a minute, that sounds an awful lot like the real world, doesn’t it? The Social Network is completely self-aware, calling into question everything that is presented at face value, including the superficiality of social networking and even us.
Even the soundtrack, composed by Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails) and Atticus Ross is an exercise in artificiality; the keyboards weave an intricate (world-wide) web of ear candy, featuring a plethora of beeps and boops mixed with icy flourishes of piano and guitar. This sonic formula, although unorthodox for a “young person rises to the top despite an x number of setbacks” movie, perfectly captures the heart of The Social Network’s story as it glides throughout the scenes, always present and poignant, but never distracting.
On the whole, The Social Network does not necessarily break any boundaries in terms of plot, nor is it the first film to question a staple of American culture, but it does not have to. The film takes what many films attempt to do and does it much better, and it is sure to create a buzzing discussion over French fries and coffee at many a restaurant or living room…. and quite a few Facebook status updates as well.
(Written originally for Professor Sullivan's Workplace Writing and Review class)
I’m probably the one person in the world who hasn’t seen The Social Network. It’s not because I don’t like Fincher, because I’m a fan. I think what put me off when it comes to The Social Network, which you do mention in your post, is the “drab” atmosphere. And Justin Timberlake. I wasn’t expecting the film to be so true-to-real life feeling, even though it’s supposed to be an exaggerated and fictionalized portrayal of Zuckerberg’s life. It’s one of Hollywood’s very non-Hollywood feeling films.
ReplyDeleteSince I haven’t seen the film I went searching around the web for a few articles and reviews and stumbled upon a review New York Times movie review written by Manohla Dargis. The article discusses in some length the atmosphere that you describe in your blog post: “Harvard has rarely been represented to such dolorous effect as in “The Social Network,” where even the colors seem leached of joy. A restrained, somber palette and the shallow depth of field express the limits of Mark’s world, while the rapid, seamless cutting among different times and spaces — scenes of him creating Facebook are woven together with scenes of him in separate depositions — evokes the speed of his success, giving the narrative terrific momentum.” I agree with what you wrote. We almost expect The Social Network to be this Hollywood glam version of Zuckerberg’s life, but instead we are greeted with a representation of a Harvard that is different from the school we have in mind. I like it, though. It adds a touch of realism.
The only thing that bothered me, and I know it’s trivial, but why JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE. I am curious about your views of him in The Social Network, because you don’t touch on him in your post, which I’m assuming to me you thought he was decent. The few articles I’ve read on the film praised him as a “jittery seducer”.
I liked what you said a toward the end of your post, that as a film “[T]he Social Network does not necessarily break any boundaries in terms of plot, nor is it the first film to question a staple of American culture, but it does not have to. The film takes what many films attempt to do and does it much better”. I think that statement makes me want to view the film, because of The Social Network’s self awareness. It knows exactly what it is, which is a true to life feeling portrayal of one of the biggest scandals surrounding one of the biggest social networking sites in the world.
Thanks for your feedback Ashley. Let me say that I didn't like this movie when I first saw it; in fact, I borderline despised it. In retrospect, I think my dislike stemmed from my backlash against the film's hype. People on internet forums were complaining that The Social Network didn't win an Oscar for Best Picture, so when I finally saw the movie, I felt underwhelmed. I waited a few months and watched it again in my Review class, and liked it much better the second time.
ReplyDeleteYou're right about Timberlake; I thought he played his character well enough for me to ignore the fact that he was Justin Timberlake. The bonus is that you're not supposed to like his character, so you can hate him within the context of the movie with glee.