The Social Network

I’m a David Fincher fan, but felt somewhat letdown by the distinctly average Benjamin Button. I felt this was because that film was a straight drama, perhaps not Fincher’s forte. In hindsight it appears to be just an excuse for CGI experimentation. I’m going off track a bit here, but the point is I wasn’t too sure what Fincher would come up with for The Social Network, a film about the inventors of Facebook. Well, it is a drama, but Fincher has infused it with some highly effective comic moments as well. Throw in a script by Aaron Sorkin, and some great acting amongst the ensemble cast, and you have a timely return to form for Fincher (especially with the US remake of Dragon Tattoo on the cards). Taking the role of Mark Zuckerberg is Jesse Eisenberg, usually the purveyor of dry wisecracks in most of the films he’s in, but here he comes across as a focused and determined individual, though easily led by outsiders. It’s a decent turn from Eisenberg but he is upstaged by Andrew Garfield as best friend Eduardo Saverin. Garfield gives the film its emotion heart (something Fincher’s films have been accused of lacking in the past) as Saverin goes through a number of emotional turns as things begin to turn sour between himself and Zuckerberg. How the actual story is told is smart. Instead of a linear approach to the invention of Facebook, Fincher employs a past / present framing device, as we cut between Zuckerberg’s early years at Harvard and two different law suits in the present day. It’s extremely effective, though it does take a few minutes to get a handle on what is happening at first. On the downside, Fincher’s love of trying to CGI anything and everything is pretty unnecessary in the film like this. In a crucial scene in the film, you’ll be wondering why the actors have to have CGI breath coming out of their mouths instead of concentrating on the exchange at hand. Though Fincher does have fun utilising a number of effects and camera tricks when it comes to showing the Winklevoss twins in the film. So to the crux of the matter. How much of the portrayal of Zuckerberg is accurate? Unsurprisingly, he claims nothing, apart from wryly noting that they got his clothes right in the film. Others beg to differ. What can’t be argued is that a number of the instances in the film are already a matter of public record. Most of them don’t show Zuckerberg in a great light. This does raise an interesting talking point about whether you can enjoy a film if you have a nagging feeling that what’s being portrayed about a real life figure isn’t accurate or fair. That’s an argument for another time though. If you want, you can go online and read hundreds of pages about Zuckerberg, the law-suits and the invention of Facebook. Either way, it shouldn’t spoil your enjoyment of a standalone great film.

The OC Film Sting Final Verdict
This is a clever film, well acted, with a surprising streak of humour. It’s a return to the darkness next for Fincher though. Rating: 8/10.