The Social Network (2010)

The Social Network: Directed by David Fincher. With Jesse Eisenberg, Rooney Mara, Bryan Barter, Dustin Fitzsimons. As Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg creates the social networking site that would become known as Facebook, he is sued by the twins who claimed he stole their idea, and by the co-founder who was later squeezed out of the business.

“Letu0026#39;s start with the script. Itu0026#39;s great. Written by soon-to-be-best- adapted-screenplay-nominee/winner Aaron Sorkin, The Social Networku0026#39;s writing is intelligent and demanding on multiple levels: most obviously, the story is cleverly structured across dual lawsuits, but thereu0026#39;s an equal amount of sophistication to Sorkinu0026#39;s character work–Zuckerberg is never quite capable of maintaining a dialog, Eduardo always stops just short of explicating his emotions. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThose two characters are wonderfully played by inevitable acting award nominees Jesse Eisenberg and Andrew Garfield–Eisenberg owns the brisk pace of the film while Garfield brings most of the humanity–who anchor a terrific ensemble–SAG best ensemble, perhaps? The filmu0026#39;s score is a perfectly atmospheric concoction of electronica from edgy dark horse best original score nominees Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, and itu0026#39;s all united under the name and vision of David Fincher, who did not win an Oscar for Fight Club or Zodiac or Benjamin Button.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eAll of this is to say two things: this is a really great movie from a phenomenal creative team, and also there are times when the film feels somewhat calculated for accolades–never in the repugnantly safe, crowd- pleasing, middle-brow Benjamin Button sense, but in the sweetly transparent sense of a kid who did all his chores and is suggesting that he might deserve a cookie. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eYou know what? Give David Fincher a cookie. The Social Network is thoroughly intelligent and engaging as a modern biopic and as an examination of evolving cultural currency, and itu0026#39;s also one of my favorite films this year. -TK 10/1/10”