David Fincher’s new exceptional film “The Social Network” is about the creation of Facebook, an internet website that’s less than a decade old and already worth 25 billion dollars. On a fall night in 2003, Harvard undergrad and computer programming genius Mark Zuckerberg sits down at his computer and heatedly begins working on a new idea. In a fury of blogging and programming, what begins in his dorm room soon becomes a global social network and a revolution in communication. A mere six years and 500 million friends later, Mark Zuckerberg is the youngest billionaire in history, but for this entrepreneur, success leads to both personal and legal complications. I'll start with Wow! I mean... WOW! “The Social Network” was so superbly-crafted, so ingeniously impressive and so overwhelmingly entertaining, I could barely blink while watching this remarkable film. Led by furious dialogues full of wit, interesting characters, brisk pacing and clever editing, there is so much to like about this film even from the beginning. As "The Social Network" progresses, the story becomes more and more gripping and absorbing, the dialogues - wittier, smarter and funnier, and the intrigue escalates tremendously, as the story goes far beyond just the creation of Facebook, moving into deeper ground. "The Social Network" also perfectly captures the essence of the modern world we live in, and today's younger generation, where technology and internet play big part in our daily activities and social life. Visually, and on a technical level, "The Social Network" never fails to impress. Fincher's direction is pitch-perfect - the camera work is flawless, and the camera angles are creative, varied, and thoroughly effective. The editing is sharp and dynamic, and it helps the story to move briskly from one great scene to another. Cinematogprapher's choices are also admirable - he uses a soft and subtle golden tint and low-key lighting, that pleases the eye, but also a brighter bluish tint in some of the scenes, in order to stimulate viewer's visual senses even more. Donald Graham Burt's production design is nothing short of fascinating, making Harvard look more posh and beautiful than ever. Plus, the soundtrack is fantastically upbeat, as it includes a diverse range of electronic melodies and amazing house tracks. Performance-wise, "The Social Network" truly delivers! Jesse Eisenberg as Mark Zuckerberg is definitely the highlight of this film, as he commands the screen with his charismatic presence and charming awkwardness. Ironically, his character lacks social skills, but he compensates with innovative thinking, razor-sharp cleverness and strange, unexplainable likability. Andrew Garfield as the other protagonist, Eduardo Saverin, gives an incredibly mature and competent performance, and I predict a great acting career for him. Although I'm not a big fan of Justin Timberlake, I have to admit that he is simply incredible here - he's not only charming and physically captivating, but it's obvious that his acting skills has improved enormously. The gorgeous Armie Hammer, perfectly-cast as the twins, Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, also does a great job - not only his characters look sophisticated and expensive head to toe, but they're extremely well-portrayed and believable. Marvellously-written, masterfully-directed, sharply-edited, and hugely engrossing, "The Social Network" is hands down the best movie of the year so far, a true masterpiece of modern cinema, and one of Fincher's finest achievements along with "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button", "Fight Club" and "Se7en".
- My Rating: 9.75/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 97% (9.0/10)
- IMDb: 8.5/10
