On Monday, I received a rare opportunity to see an advanced private screening of “The Social Network”, courtesy of Mashable.com. This was my first advanced screening of any film and it happened to be one of the most anticipated films of the year. While I came into the situation as a giddy PR professional pretending to play the role of a seasoned film critic, I took this advanced screening more seriously than my usual movie outings. Readers fret not, there is NO need for a spoiler alert here! Enjoy PUBLIC’s exclusive review on David Fincher’s new film, “The Social Network”.

You have seen the posters, watched the trailers, and read about all of the buzz surrounding David Fincher’s new film The Social Network; but does the film actually live up to the hype? In a time when 50% of the films Hollywood churns out are remakes, while a majority of the remaining movies are reserved for rushed projects; it is difficult to land amongst the small percentage of quality films that live up to the audience’s expectations. In my opinion,The Social Network manages to exceed expectations on multiple levels.

Upon the announcement of the film going into production, many naysayers began to question various elements of the project. Why would Fincher and Sorkin depend on former NSYNC front man Justin Timberlake to deliver a performance acceptable for one of the most anticipated films of the year? Or how is David Fincher (director of Se7ven and Fight Club) going to make the transition from action/suspense to drama? Or my personal favorite reaction, are they really making a movie about Facebook?

The film’s lead man, Jesse Eisenberg (Mark Zuckerberg), seizes his moment in the limelight and compliments the Sorkin written screenplay perfectly. Zuckerberg’s constant confrontation with internal and external conflict lead audiences on a psychological roller coaster, challenging viewers to share a wide spectrum of feelings towards the main character as soon as the film begins. The ongoing struggle for Zuckerberg to find his place in the sun among his overachieving classmates, while simultaneously dealing with his ill feelings towards social status and prestige allow for the audience to relate to the lovable computer geek and sympathize with his situation. On the other hand, the film does not shy away from portraying Zuckerberg as the elitist, socially awkward and outspoken individual that he is (in the first 20 mins of the film he gets dumped for making a snide remark about Boston University and proceeds to insult his ex via his personal blog).

While in certain situations, Zuckerberg’s cut-throat and elitist ways alienate the audience and other characters in the film, these same qualities viewed negatively within specific contexts also makes him lovable in other scenes (wearing pajamas to a corporate meeting, producing a business card that reads “I’m CEO Bitch”). His best buddy in the film Eduardo (played by Andrew Garfield) ,despite obvious flaws in Zuckerberg’s character, remains the loyal sidekick for a majority of the movie and serves as the early CFO of Facebook. While both internally struggle over being outcasts to the exclusive clubs at Harvard, Eduardo serves as the voice of reason to Zuckerberg’s emotional distress and whacky antics. The dynamic Sorkin sets up between the two best friends pays homage to the traditional good cop/bad cop scenario, but in a darker and more complex light.

The level of conflict reaches new depths when Sorkin and Fincher introduce Napster founder and habitual troublemaker Sean Parker (played by Justin Timberlake) to the film. While Parker and Zuckerberg differ on a variety of levels, their desire to shake up the system and ‘stick it to the man’ help the two find a common ground and become friends. The relationship between the two forces a wedge between Zuckerberg and Eduardo, thus muffling Zuckerberg’s lone voice of reason and only true friend. Timberlake follows suit with a brilliant performance like his other co-stars, and manages to capture the essence of Parker’s bad boy image. While watching the film it is obvious how the former pop star embraces his role, and delivers lines effortlessly and unforced, and at times stealing the show from Eisenberg and the rest of the cast. After a performance like this, Timberlake has established himself as a Hollywood mainstay.

Though many will not agree with how much I liked the movie and how I felt about the screenplay, the quality of the film cannot be denied. It is refreshing to see a major Hollywood blockbuster bring substance back to the silver screen; and finally the first film in awhile that doesn’t rely upon violence and special effects to “oooo and awww” it’s way to the winner’s circle. The Social Network is a cinematic gem, that people from all walks of life can appreciate and enjoy, it challenges audiences to think about how they feel about the main character rather than the writers figuring it out for the audience. If you are looking for a simple film, you’re obviously not familiar with Sorkin screenplays and this movie may be too rapid-fire for you. But if you are ready to be entertained start to finish and enjoy films that evoke a wide range of emotion, this film will be for you!

-Aaron