Left a real Mark...

Rating: 8/10 (22 October 2010)

Facebook. We all use it, most of us love it, so it was a matter of time before someone made a movie out of it. Hailed to be on par with the invention of the telephone, Mark Zuckerberg's gargantuan internet phenomena has infected the world with a brand-spanking new form of communication. 500 million people worldwide have found themselves lost in a realm of friend requests, statuses, tagging, news feeds and all sorts of innovative little tid-bits. Bit of fun right? Well, I think we can afford to be a bit more profound. Facebook isn't just an exercise in escapist entertainment, it's trivialised the process of communication in its entirety, figure-heading an explosive online movement fixed on harmonising global liaison. Who'd have thought that such an immense, world-changing concept could have come from one geek messing around in his little university dorm. It's a remarkable story that ached for an effective big screen adaptation. Was this ache throbbing in vain? Definitely not.
But be aware folks, this isn't just a flat-out glorification of Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg). Aaron Sorkin's witty script paints a genuine portrait of the cyber-magnate, revealing his stark flaws as he battles a potentially crippling law suit. Jesse Eisenberg plays Zuckerberg, in a role which grew to be more complex and multi-faceted than first thought. Being a relative newcomer and, in my opinion, emerging star, all eyes were on this young actor. Does he have the ability to hold such a biopic? Can he conjure the ultimate technological hero, or even anti hero? These were questions I had to ask beforehand, and God, did I feel stupid as I walked out. Eisenberg perfectly captures the essence of flawed genius, delivering Sorkin's portrayal of Zuckerberg with ruthless efficiency. Rather than shoving Zuckerberg's genius down our throats, the script leaves his likability wide open. On one end, he's obnoxious, irreverent, socially awkward and incredibly controlling. Whilst on the other, he's a misunderstood, brilliant aficionado, driven by mere passion, uninterested in monetary needs. Personally, I fell in love with Eisenberg's interpretation of Sorkin's script, he was mesmerisingly dry, punchy, and deeply absorbing. He's produced a character that will grow to become one of cinema's great flawed protagonists.
In terms of plot, The Social Network pulls the Facebook creation story out by the roots and examines each twine with cracking detail. It drags us back to a time before the site's global explosion, a world where Zuckerberg is only known by his blogging alias, 'Zukonit' and his cyber creation is in the mere faetal stage, being classed as a 'book of faces' or 'The Facebook'. This was only 6 or 7 years ago but it seems millennia has gone by! This little fallacy symbolises the extraordinary rapidity of the spread of Facebook's infection across the world, making this picture eagerly fascinating. Every day, all of us are drawn to check our Facebooks, we meet new people and it's become a custom to ask if they're on Facebook, "Don't worry, I'll Facebook you", "You have that Facebook app?", "Can't believe you just fraped me", are but just a few sentences drummed into the status quo. This site has become an impenetrable feature of our society and witnessing its fruition from the very beginning captivates beyond all recognition.
So with Aaron Sorkin's sharp script and Jesse Eisenberg's impressive performance, all the film needed was some solid direction, of the likes David Fincher was happy to oblige. Fincher truly is a strong director, helming such pictures as Zodiac (2007), Fight Club (1999), Seven (1995) and, just recently, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008). Like Ron Howard, he doesn't overstate with his work, he possesses the maturity and discipline to direct a film that allows the story and characters to develop freely as the screenplay initially intended. He's the liberal middle-man rendering a script through the camera in a smooth, majestic manner. As much as I'd hate to use the word 'standard' here, Fincher's camera-work is standard in method yet far beyond standard in quality, it fits the script like a glove.
So, without further ado, let's knuckle down and discuss the Academy Awards. All of sudden we've drifted into awards season, the most exciting time of the cinematic year where the pains inflicted by the tripe blurted onto the summer screen are eased by a parade of fresh, top quality cinema. A new wave of technical scrutiny will hit viewers like a ton of bricks and The Social Network is one hell of an opener to this stimulating advent. To revert back to Eisenberg, he's sent ripples around cinema's critical forum, and rightfully so. He's pulled off a career-changing performance, emblematic of his blossoming into the great actor he'll very soon become. We'll expect to see him floating around the 'Best Leading Actor' category across the award ceremonies, but a win seems unlikely. As for Sorkin's expertly written script, it should expect top contention for 'Best Adapted Screenplay', and I can see a few supporting actors attracting recognition. The striking Achilles Heel for the film's promotion has been the inclusion of pop prince, Justin Timberlake in the cast. In the world of REAL cinema, his name falls under taboo. But, he's actually pretty bearable this time around, playing the super slick founder of 'Napster', Sean Parker. So try not to let that ghastly name impair your excitement!
If you're worried that The Social Network is just a lousy pop carnation programmed to juice the money out of the Facebook loving public, you couldn't be more wrong. David Fincher's picture is a magnetic analysis of troubled genius, personified by an exceptional Eisenberg performance. What a dose of post-summer refreshment!