[8]

A movie about corporate betrayal and litigation is normally not my idea of a good time, but The Social Network turns out to be a well-made, voyeuristic look back at the birth of a now-ubiquitous product that many users can’t live without. In fact, you wouldn’t be reading this review without it. Screenwriter Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing) is a shoe-in come Oscar time for a brilliantly-paced script that delicately balances our attention among a number of key-players. I won’t be surprised to see the Academy bestow an acting nod or two, particularly for Justin Timberlake as flyboy Napster creator Sean Parker, and Andrew Garfield (the next Spiderman) as contentious Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin. Jesse Eisenberg plays Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. It’s not a flashy role, but Eisenberg makes the eccentric, socially awkward character sympathetic enough to carry Sorkin’s narrative through-line. Armie Hammer is entertaining in his dual roles of Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss — rich, litigious, twin brother entrepreneuers (sexy, too).

Director David Fincher (Fight Club, Se7en) delivers a clean home run. This is his least sophisticated film (at least stylistically), but you’ll still recognize his personal touch in the constant green lighting and improbable camera movement. Fincher also does a terrific job opening up the story with as many cinematic moments as possible. In different hands, all the table meetings and squabbling over money could have been dreadfully boring.

Academy Awards: Best Original Screenplay, Score (Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross), Film Editing

Nominations: Best Picture, Director, Cinematography, Sound Mixing, Best Actor (Jesse Eisenberg)