One of my favorite parts about the summer movie season is that is filled with films that have been building buzz for months, but high anticipation prior to release is pretty rare during the fall season, especially when a new film is not part of an established franchise. That being said, I was shocked by the level of hype surrounding The Social Network, but given the résumés of director David Fincher (Seven, Fight Club, Zodiac, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) and screenwriter Aaron Sorkin (A Few Good Men and The West Wing), it was clear that this drama could be an early Oscar contender. Facebook has evolved into an absolute necessity for film marketing, so it was going to be interesting to see a film about the birth of the website, especially when it was made without the collaboration of the Facebook staff. I was particularly excited to see Jesse Eisenberg (of Zombieland and Adventureland fame) portray the notoriously private Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, especially when early previews made it clear that he wasn’t going to be shown in the kindest of light. With more the 500 million active users, who wouldn’t be interested in the founding of Facebook’s social networking phenomenon?
Early reviews of The Social Network were immensely positive, and I couldn’t agree with them more. Strong acting and clever dialogue combine to bring an entertaining and fully engrossing story to life. Eisenberg shines as the internet entrepreneur, bringing Zuckerberg’s persona to the screen with an intensity and confidence that leaves the audience conflicted…you may not like his controversial personality, but you can’t help but root for his success as he develops Facebook. A strong supporting cast also helps guide the audience through a unique narrative structure, and though there are times the dialogue is a little confusing, you can’t help but appreciate the inherent intelligence of the film. Given the relevance that Facebook holds in this generation, audiences owe it to themselves to see The Social Network, an easy contender for the best drama of the year.
For more information, please read the full review.
Overall Recommendation: Very High
Sorry for the prolonged abscence loyal readers...mid-terms will do that to you. More reviews coming soon, including Red and Jackass 3D
