Review – ‘The Social Network’
Setting aside all that goes along with the topic of Facebook and just focusing on the execution of the film it’s self. Social Network was a very well crafted movie that is well worth your box office dollar.
It seemed to me that David Fincher was set out to make a modern day Citizen Kane with the shift being from print media to the age of the interwebs. Jessie Eisenberg’s “Rosebud” being Rooney Moore. Fincher utilizes all the tools at his disposal with utmost efficiency. Jessie Eisenberg plays a cold, detached, megalomaniacal, intellectual, spurned by love and the desire to be on the inner most circles of the upper echelon. Justin Timberlake is completely believable as a Machiavellian “dot com kid” d bag gone bust.
Fincher showed in Zodiac that he is a master of recreating a time and place. It was startling to see recent history we have all lived, through his lens.
The Screenplay is tighter than a snare drum thanks to the wonderful word play of Aaron Sorkin. The movie begins with mile a minute noir-esque exchange between Jessie Eisenberg and Rooney Moore as the premise of the film is laid out. A rise and fall spouting from a bout of drunken spite. The rapid fire dialogue is a constant through the movie. Legitimate laugh out loud moments all the while keeping a tight serious grip in mood.
The next scene the score kicks in as provided by Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails) and I suddenly feel like I’m watching Zodiac and another victim is about to meet their demise. Real grit with soft piano over top of it. I think I caught a subtly nod to the intro of White Zombie’s song Super-Charger Heaven during a Caribbean music section. I think he was truly meant to be doing movie scoring.
Final Thoughts
If not for the topic of the film I think it could be easily passed over by the masses. Hopefully Facebook will bring in the audience the movie deserves. The kids liked the North Face jackets in the early aughts (early 2000’s)
As for the Orwellian ramifications of Facebook and the loss of discretion. I would recommend viewing “We Live in Public” if you have access to Netflix Instant Queue. It is a good companion piece.
Written By: Dan Carr – Guest Reviewer
Follow Dan on Twitter @WDCarrjr
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