Revenge is best served digitally. (Review of "The Social Network")

There is a misconception that a film's main character has to be a likable creation. It is inconceivable to follow a person who is not capable of adhering to our moral standards. They have to be upstanding citizens, nay, upstanding people in general. Any flaws they may possess must be eradicated by the end of the picture, to remind us of their horrendous nature.


Sadly, this threatens to rob films of their candor, instead perpetuating caricatures that have no basis in reality, and solely exist to serve a storytelling purpose. It's rare to find a filmmaker who's willing to let their characters simply be, disregarding the desire to constrict them.


With his lead character in The Social Network, David Fincher has proven, amongst many things, that he is that type of filmmaker.


As a result, Fincher's film, if anything, plays out like a revenge story. It may come as a surprise to some people that Mark Zuckerberg's rise to fame was instigated by his sheer hatred and jealousy of his ex-girlfriend, peers, and ultimately, his closest friend and Facebook co-founder, Eduardo Salverin.


Jesse Eisenberg portrays Zuckerberg as a viciously intelligent creature, never failing to dazzle someone with his wit while insulting someone one else with it. Eisenberg has essayed erudite characters before, but never with such a tenacity. Truly, there seems to be something sinister within his performance, causing the audience to not be quite aware of what he does next.


Napster founder Sean Parker arrives in the second act of the film, and quickly becomes Zuckerberg's mentor, for lack of a better term. However, Parker is more interested in finding a rebound after the Napster legal fiasco, and feels like Zuckerberg's Facebook is the new thing. He's charming, unpredictable, and relentlessly neurotic. Justin Timberlake performs every aspect of this character perfectly, coming off as incredibly magnetic. He eradicates any image of the lovable boy band member, and instead presents himself as a true thespian.


Although Salverin is initially Zuckerberg's best friend and business partner, he becomes increasingly aware of his friend's growing ego, and desire to exclude him from the development of Facebook. Garfield exhibits Salverin's optimism and panic beautifully, and will undoubtedly earn him more than a few award nominations.


A film detailing the origins of Facebook seemed an odd project for Fincher to latch on. However, it's pretty evident why he was drawn to the material, as it could be seen as a companion piece to his previous work, "Fight Club." Like "Fight Club," "The Social Network" is a satiric commentary on male psyche. Rather than focusing on their desire to use the act of fighting as a way to avoid being numb, instead, their need to sleep with beautiful women is the core of this story.


Anyone who believes that this is nothing more than "Facebook: The Movie" will be sorely mistaken. This is a true work of art, a great reminder of what filmmaking can achieve.