One of David Fincher's best

Rating: 8/10 (6 January 2011)

"The Social Network" was one of 2010's best reviewed films. It was considered one of the front-runners for that year's Best Picture Oscar but ended up losing to the more conventional (but not necessarily undeserving) "The King's Speech".
The film tells the story of the founding of the massively popular social networking site Facebook. At the outset, co-founders Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) & Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield) are best friends but business soon comes between them. This results in legal action against Zuckerberg, who is also being sued for allegedly stealing the idea for Facebook from his would-be employers.
Aaron Sorkin's justifiably lauded script was adapted from Ben Meszrich's non-fiction book "The Accidental Billionaires". Sorkin's dialogue is impeccable but the source material's questionable accuracy could be a problem for some. There's little attempt to present multiple sides of the story and some of the plot points seem more like Hollywood fabrication (particularly the ending). That's not to say that the story isn't compelling but it may turn off some viewers with its selective, embellished viewpoint.
From an acting standpoint, the film contains a few standout performances. Jesse Eisenberg deftly delivers his character's intricate dialogue but, to me, Andrew Garfield gives the film's best performance in the role of the betrayed friend. Meanwhile, Justin Timberlake surprises with a colourful portrayal of Napster founder Sean Parker. Armie Hammer and Rooney Mara also stand out in supporting roles.
The ever-dependable David Fincher's direction is expertly handled and the film boasts attractive cinematography and crisp editing throughout. However, the film's strong suit in the technical arena may be the music, which was expertly handled by Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross.
To be honest, I wasn't a big fan of this movie the first time I saw it. I got hung up on the script's veracity and it prevented me from appreciating some of the film's finer points. Now, I'm more forgiving of the liberties taken with the facts and I can see that the film's craftsmanship is nothing short of exquisite. In my opinion, "The Social Network" is a must-see and one of Fincher's best to date.