When word spread that the movie industry was investing their time in basing a plot line solely off the creation of the Facebook paradigm, many were skeptical. What back story did they have to go off of? Has the movie industry succumbed to Internet obsessions as plots? Despite this initial cynicism, The Social Network proved the doubtful wrong.
Based off of the technological sensation of Facebook and the book, The Social Network tells a fictionalized version of the story of its creation and the struggles its creatiors, Mark Zuckerburg (Jesse Eisenberg, Adventureland) and Eduardo Saverein (Andrew Garfield, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus) faced as they laid the foundation for the future of the young generation’s social atmosphere.
The plot focuses on Zuckerburg’s development of one of the most successful companies, and on his retaining the few relationships in his meager social existence. Although he overplays his standoffish and aloof behavior, Eisenberg conveys his character with an impressive flourish of intellectual prestige, making the overall theme of the movie profoundly clear: success does not necessarily define happiness.
What is truly one of The Social Network’s most creative features is the sequence of the scenes. Director David Fincher (Fight Club) truly exerts his creative genius in interlacing the dual lawsuits after Facebook’s success began to take flight and the network’s initial creation. The combination of the past and present serves as a guidepost for the viewers, demostrating the extravagance and significance of Facebook’s creation.
The Social Network’s screenplay is also a gem in addition to its many redeeming features. The actors convey the humor and wit in the script to perfection. In one scene, Eisenberg displays his character’s ongoing social paranoia by speaking manically and rapidly about each social experience of college.
The cast also parallels the film’s many attractive qualities:the characters are multi-layered, and the actors who portray them convey their personas with depth. Along with Eisenburg and Garfield, TV actresses Rashida Jones (The Office), one of Zuckerberg’s lawyers, and Brenda Song (Suite Life on Deck), Saverein’s girlfriend, make their big screen debut in the creatively constructed ensemble. Teen pop sensation Justin Timberlake (Shrek Forever After) also plays a significant part in the movie, emerging as a valuable player and a threat to the future of Facebook.
Although some would argue that the film over-exaggerates the lives of those involved with Facebook and its road to success, The Social Network has caught the eye of many with its well-written, witty script, making it a film that keeps the audience on its toes. It introduces an entirely new era of movie plots that will stray from the recycled stories of the past.
