The Social Network

The Social Network

Review by Peter Struzziero 

2010.120 Minutes. Rated PG13.

The real problem with this post is that I’m all excited about this fun online endeavor of my own right now (The Big Brown Chair) so likely I’ll be a bit over the top while focusing on a bunch of yuppies from Boston (where I live) who are all now billionaires for figuring out a cool website. Anyway…

The Social Network – Columbia Pictures

Quote: Did I adequately answer your condescending question?

So perhaps a jumping off point? I should remind you about all the awesomeness that was accomplished separately by the two behemoths (David Fincher and Aaron Sorkin who were at the helm making this film

Maybe just a short little list:

    • The West Wing
    • A Few Good Men
    • The American President
    • Steve Jobs
    • Se7en
    • Fight Club
    • Zodiac
    • Gone Girl

Safe to say, this was always going to be a big deal movie. They got the top players, the top budget, damn, Trent Reznor did the soundtrack; it was destined to score big, and it did.

Any how, enough of that. The Social Network tells the true story of Mark Zuckerberg, Eduardo Saverin, and Sean Parker, their creation of Facebook, their rise to fame and fortune and the intense lawsuits that would follow. Zuckerberg faced dual lawsuits from his would-be partners after his star had shot to the top. He would become the youngest self-made billionaire in the world, and seriously, at the time of this writing, is one of the top five richests people in the world.

The casting was a huge success, as the leads seemed born for these roles. Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield and Justin Timberlake took their cues from the characters they depicted, and ultimately have made their bones playing similar characters. I am not saying so much that they were type cast, but more so that their personalities very easily fit into… ok, forget it, they were type cast.

Mark Zuckerberg is a pompous douche. He totally ran off with a collective idea and did as much as he could in the long run to screw everybody else over and become the big hero of the day. This… is pretty much the way it went down (in the movie and in real life). They had a good story to follow, and a great team turned this good story into a great movie. It got eight Oscar nominations, and won three. The key ingredients were on point.

THE LIST: Key Ingredients (this stuff didn’t happen by accident, kids)

1.Writing

This film won an Oscar for it’s writing, and it was no surprise coming from Aaron Sorkin. I often hold true to the notion that my favorite television shows are as follows: The Sopranos, LOST, and The West Wing. The West Wing had tremendous acting certainly, but it is the writing that made it the monstrous success that it was. Aaron Sorkin essentially has added himself to the list of film makers or writers that has impressed me so much that I will watch anything he does for the rest of my life, and it is because of The West Wing.

The writing in this film was sharp as a knife.

The actors needed to speak with a quick tongue and back it up with delivery that keeps your mouth open wide the whole time. These kids all had a golden opportunity in front of them to work with one of the best in the game and earn themselves ten more years of roles in Hollywood if they succeeded. Certainly, if The Social Network was a flop then it would not reflect on the already world-renowned filmmakers, it would reflect on the actors. If you saw it, however, then you know… that they all rose to the occasion. I particularly appreciated the dialogue from the Winklevoss twins, but that is getting an honorable mention at the bottom.

2.Acting

This film got an Oscar nomination for it’s acting. Justin Timberlake is kind of a showy (though successful), pretty boy and an entrepreneur to boot, so he fit the role of Sean Parker no problem. Not for nothing either, but I will give it to him, best acting of his career.

Andrew Garfield plays the real squeaky clean character of Eduardo to a T. This is the guy who really does nothing wrong, deserved some credit, and got the shaft. You just feel bad for this one. His conceited friend screws him over and he does what he has to do…SUES HIM. This kid is a regular Peter Parker (yep, I did). Anyhow, you just really feel for Eduardo, and I feel so bad for him in fact, that I now loves Andrew Garfield for bringing him to life.

Right, so Justin Timberlake this and Andrew Garfield that… hibbity hooplah, LETS TALK ABOUT OSCAR NOMINATED Jesse Eisenberg!

This kid is spot on, one the best in his age group in the last several years. He would have cornered the market on the nerdy, soft, witty twenty-something dude roles, if not for one other guy then he likely would have a lot more of these fat roles under his belt. In any case, the Academy nominated  him for best actor, so I think he’s doing just fine.

Eisenberg’s Zuckerberg was fantastic. His wit and impeccable delivery of complex lines and emotionless demeanor hooked me in from the opening scene shot in The Thirsty Scholar. Mark Zuckerberg sucks; I simply don’t like that guy, because sorry, but who do you think you are bro, just sold out your boy like that so you could be all BFF with Sean Parker? Lame, dude. Don’t get me wrong, I love me the hell out of some Facebook, but you are weak. Big ups to Jesse Eisenberg for taking this kid, for tackling this character in a way that everyone else would have screwed up royally. I think the Academy snubbed you, but it’s ok… you will be back.

3.Music

You know what? I never liked Trent Reznor or Nine Inch Nails, and I had never heard of Atticus Ross. That being said, however, I just picked up the album and will be adding it to my permanent collection. It was ominous and somehow fit the bill very well. It kept you from thinking this movie was about having fun. It wasn’t about fun. It was about this pretentious kid, who burned every bridge he ever had, and did it all for nothing essentially. He just wanted other people to know he was better than them. He doesn’t deserve to be celebrated, really. This music kept the atmosphere dark and uncomfortable at times. It did the trick, and honestly, it has helped me write this post too.

(end of THE LIST)

So honorable mention to Armie Hammer for his role(s) in The Social Network. Who is Armie Hammer? Exactly. He is the ONE actor who portrayed BOTH Cameron Winklevoss & Tyler Winklevoss. No doubt there were twins lining up for days to audition to take on the role of these brothers, but Fincher and company recognized that would be a poor move in comparison with casting this well-trained, yet at the time more unknown, young man in the role of his life (so far). Honorable mention sir, well done.

Author: Peter

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