The Curious Idea of Mark Zuckerberg

Rating: 10/10 (15 January 2011)

This film makes you think, but more than thinking about anything in particular, it makes you remember. Much like remembering your introduction to the website itself, you'll never forget watching this movie. I remember first hearing of the movie. I'm on another website, TheInternetMovieDatabase...drop the "the," and I was where you are now. I was worried about the future of liberty in art, seeing that David Fincher was making another PG-13 movie.
I was ignorant. When I see Tarantino get caught by commercialism, I'll be back to talk, but not before I see why. Neither here nor there, some movies deserve bigger audiences.
Much like "Pulp Fiction," the nonparallel storytelling is propelled by pages upon pages of dialog, and we eat it up. You're dropped onto the Harvard campus in "The Thirsty Scholar," if that's the name of the place where we're placed, further more, into the brutal final moments of Zuckerberg's best human relationship in the movie. As brutal as it gets, you're paying attention, as if you're sitting with the couple amongst the noisy thirsty scholars.
When the noise fades out, an angry tone fades in, but under an almost childlike melody of only three notes. This is our main title, and our main theme. We'll hear it again, and then again, but it means something different each time. If you listened during that opening scene, then you're ready to pay attention. They introduce not only the idea of who Mark Zuckerberg is (at least the character)...but introduce the reason behind the idea Mark Zuckerberg gets...
The best scene is the second time we hear the sweet melody. "Mr. Zuckerberg, do I have your full attention?" The questioner becomes a blur and the questionee is in focus. "It's raining." This is movie-making. At its finest. This is dialog. At its finest.
Also brought to our attention is Aaron Sorkin, the man behind The West Wing, and "A Few Good Men," one of the most powerful plays you'll ever see. The power is fully on here. If only life could be so perfect as to have our daily conversations be dialog written by Sorkin.
For those of you not paying attention, you'll become aware of David Ficher. The man behind your two all-time favorite films, "Fight Club," and "Seven." The two-disk special edition is worth more than what you pay for, especially if you bought the Blu-ray version on Amazon when it first came out. The second disk allows your eyes to be open behind the scenes in a very entertaining documentary, but even so, you'll be able to enjoy the movie again and again. I'd say its one you can easily watch over and over, like Siskel and Ebert said about "Pulp Fiction," since the film isn't told in chronological order, just a logical order. It's as if you're watching the film for the first time, every time.
"The Social Network" is the best film of 2010, and has been said to be the best film of the past decade. Its rare that we watch something perfect, but this movie is fireworks.
It's refreshing that we don't need bombs, explosions, violence, or gore to be entertained. Take a look at the previous year's best picture winner (The Hurt Locker). It had all the things I just mentioned, but they are honorable mentions when it comes to that one.
"The Social Network" is not necessarily about Facebook, but it will last longer than the website does. You won't forget it.