The Social Network

David Fincher: The Social Network (US 2010) starring Jesse Eisenberg as Mark Zuckerberg.

The Social Network / The Social Network.
    US © 2010 Columbia Pictures. D: David Fincher. SC: Aaron Sorkin. End credit music: "Baby, You're A Rich Man" (The Beatles, 1967). 120 min. Released in Finland by Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Finland with Finnish / Swedish subtitles by Timo Porri / Saliven Gustavson.
    Viewed at Kinopalatsi 9, Helsinki, 22 Oct 2010 (day of Finnish release).

A brilliant modern satire based on the screenplay by Aaron Sorkin on the creation of Facebook. A surprise from David Fincher because there are no fantasy, horror, and violent aspects. The film is so dialogue-driven and based on talking heads that it could be a television movie (not a negative assessment since current television movies are often more intelligent than cinema movies).

Fincher manages to suppress his urge for visual expressionism and focuses on the characters, which he does very well. The Social Network is a reminder that Fincher is an excellent director of actors. He also displays a fine sense of humour. The satire in this film is original, and the film will deserve repeat viewings.

The structure is based on trials from which we see the story evolve in flashbacks. The female characters remain slight. I don't know if this is a weakness of the film or an aspect of the world being satirized. The men in the story see women as objects and their stage of development in human relationships is low.

PS. 31 Oct 2010. Probably it belongs to the irony of the story that the female characters and the human relationships are as shallow as they are here.

PS. 29 Dec 2010. Having read Time Magazine's Person of the Year cover story by Lev Grossman I realize The Social Network does not hit its target as a satire on Mark Zuckerberg. According to Grossman Zuckerberg is "pathologically indifferent" to money and to lifestyle symbols.