The Facebook story, so far

Rating: Null/10 (19 November 2010)

There should be no worries that this movie can't sell – there are currently 500 million Facebook users worldwide, a number that is predicted to double before long, to a billion. But what would these people think when they come out of the cinema? The general consensus is that the Facebook story is well told by David Fincher who has deftly rendered the somewhat convoluted events into a lucid, clearly-understood account which is at the same time completely mesmerizing. There are some who complain that this world-changing social phenomenon has been over-simplified. What I would suggest then is that for whatever they are looking for, these critics should go elsewhere, not to a movie.
Except for a few people in the establishment (attorneys, education and business leaders, petty royalties), the characters in the movie comprises the young generation, ably interpreted by a young cast (which I'll come to later). The hero is of course Mark Zuckerberg the creator of Facebook, as well as youngest billionaire ever. Two other key characters might well be his inner conscience and devil: Eduardo Saverin, long-time (and some say only) friend who as co-founder provided the first financing for the project; Sean Parker, flamboyant and world-wise creator of Napster who lures him away from Saverin into a sophisticated world of endless material temptation, but should also be credited for launching Facebook into the mega phenomenon it has become. Most importantly, he is instrumental to making Mark change its name from "The Facebook" to "Facebook", a contribution that should not be taken lightly.
It's hard to believe that something like Facebook came into existence almost accidentally, as the movie shows (perhaps that's why some people criticise it for oversimplification). The opening scene must not be missed, for its brilliant entertainment value – in a noisy campus bar, Mark and girlfriend Erica (a fictitious character) engage in a scintillating (in a confrontational way) verbal banter, in which he seems to have confused arrogant logic one-upmanship with romantic overture. Out storms Erica and he seeks revenge in engineering a blog for rating campus women (source material obtained in dubious manner), giving him instant notoriety and fame, both. The other half of the inspiration comes from a pair of young, comical snob the Winklevoss twins who try to enlist his service in developing their "The Harvard Connection" elite social network. The movie never shows when exactly the idea clicks but it may well be the moment when Mark gives his cryptic reply, "I'm in". Facebook is born, at least in the electric circuit of Mark's brainwave.
What follows, as far as narrative style goes, is alternating scenes between a current court enquiry and flashbacks tracing the development of events in simple linear sequence. The separate but simultaneous law suits launched by Saverin and the Winklevoss twins against Mark are well known to the public, in essence if not in detail. Moving with a crisp pace that aptly fits the subject matter, the movie retraces the events with thriller-like, spellbinding momentum and intrigue, finishing with captions of the outcomes of the law suits that are also well known to the public: out-of-court settlement with the Winklevoss (by which time the cost was only a drop in the bucket for Mark) and the restoring of Saverin as co-founder of Facebook. Throughout the movie, there is a sense of the movie makers' tendency to avoid being judgmental. They recount the facts, depict the characters, but stay away from trying to unravel the rights and wrongs of their intriguing relationships.
Jesse Eisenberg coolly brings to the screen a Mark Zuckerberg that is forever elusive to those in the audience who wants to really understand how he ticks. A quick, sly, geek – that, we know. But want really makes him tick and feeds his ambition? He seems almost immune to material temptations, including sex. There may be slight hints of an underdog wanting to get even with the snobbish elite. His sharp mental faculty is almost frightening while his interpersonal skill is close to non-existent. He seems ruthless at times but does not appear to be entirely heartless. Perhaps the best verdict comes from his attorney's calm, stoic assistant "You are not an asshole Mark, but you are trying very hard to be one".
Andrew Garfield delivers a sympathy-winning Eduardo Saverin who seems to be the only character in the entire ensemble that has a real conscience. With dashing charm and cocksure confidence Justin Timberlake gives Sean Parker the screen presence this character deserves. He doesn't quite come across as a villain – after all he is instrumental to giving Facebook its stunning success. Yes, he did not do this exactly out of altruistic motivations and he is often devious in his business manipulations, but what else is new?
This movie tends to stereotypes and marginalises women, as in Erica (played by Rooney Mara who is destined to attain "Girl with a dragon tattoo" fame through Hollywood's remake) and Christy, Saverin's campus girlfriend portrayed with energy and zest by Brenda Song.
The Facebook story is continuing in real life. Will there be enough material for a sequel? We have to wait and see.