Anti-social networking

Rating: 9/10 (12 October 2010)

David Fincher does a marvelous job of telling a complicated tale, pulling us in and riveting our attention. he has a history of that.
It is curious that so-called "social" networking began in such an anti-social stew of class distinction, intellectual arrogance and sophomoric personal viewpoints.
Jesse Eisenberg is excellent as the creator of Facebook. However, the amazing role in the film is that of the elitist Winklevoss twins. I don't like to read too much about a movie before I dive into the audience, so I had no clue that one actor, Armie Hammer, played both roles.
Seen side-by-side in numerous scenes, there was even a thought in the back of my mind that the twins were close, but not really close enough. What a performance. A supporting Oscar nomination will hopefully follow.
Distractions: the glamorization of the party scene at Harvard--I have my doubts. Perhaps it was just a way of emphasizing the fantasy that the computer guys were hoping to obtain? ...and the abrupt ending.
It was almost as if a studio exec had said, well, not bad, but we're looking for a two-hour run time. And so...slice, stop, rolling credit explanation as to outcomes. A more natural ending would have been appreciated.
But the anti-social nature of the networking is laid out brilliantly, through the Mason of the Harvard undergrads, to the coed user-consumer wannabes, to the don't care attitude of the Dean, to the use and discard context of many of the relationships.
In the context of the suicide death of a Rutgers undergrad a few weeks ago after social network bullying, this film accurately tells of our times and directly questions its values.