• It’s a film that may combine the best work of both David Fincher and Aaron Sorkin
  • Hard to top Travers: “The Social Network lights up a dim movie sky with flares of startling brilliance. Director David Fincher (Fight Club, Seven, Zodiac) puts his visual mastery to work on the verbal pyrotechnics in the dynamite, dick-swinging script by Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing), and they both do the best and ballsiest work of their careers. The Social Network gets you drunk on movies again. It deserves to go viral.” https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-reviews/the-social-network-113030/
  • From the fist glorious (maybe the best single shot in the film) frame know you’re watching something special. Fincher paints the mise-en-scene so well with his trademark lighting scheme (he may have to take the mantle of the master of darkness from Gordon Willis), green/yellow lighting.  You almost don’t notice the triumph of lighting the first time because of Sorkin’s dialogue and talented young cast.  You’re on your heels with the rapid fire argument- apparently the opening dialogue scene was shot in 99 takes—you hear these stories often with Fincher and you see it in the results—such a perfectionist

From the fist glorious (maybe the best single shot in the film) frame know you’re watching something special. Fincher paints the mise-en-scene so well with his trademark lighting scheme (he may have to take the mantle of the master of darkness from Gordon Willis), green/yellow lighting

  • It’s this generations’ Citizen Kane in many ways —told in a creative flashback narrative, genius/billionaire of our times, layered, dark
  • The case for it being Fincher’s best (it’s this or Fight Club I believe) is that it’s as procedurally formal as Zodiac, as “of our times” as Fight Club, and has an ending as devastating as Seven
  • Shakespearian weight to these characters, the setting—the morality play
  • 2.5 scenes (including that jaw-dropping opening) with Rooney Mara and it’s a star-maker… Eisenberg was already established but this is his best, Garfield is mesmerizing, Armie Hammer became a star, too
  • Trent Rezner’s score– it’s the theme is only used a few times but it’s one of the best scores of the decade
  • Garfield gives us the big final scene though I think I’m going with Eisenberg who has the slightly better achievement- neither are the wrong answer— Garfield’s little dance over to him at the Jewish party and then saying “I’m buying” with those eyes—it’s a remarkably sympathetic character—and then he tears your heart out at the ambush at the end
  • One of the best 10-15 screenplays in the artform’s history- ChinatownCasablancaThe GodfatherPulp FictionSunset BoulevardSeventh Seal—a few others
  • Lines could go on forever “You would’ve invented Facebook” I’m 6’5 220 lbs and there are two of me”—the entire “do I have your full attention” scene—“I was your only friend”
  • Fincher is a ridiculously good editor- one of the best we have— and the Regatta scene, paired with music and stunning photography is just him showing that skill off without Sorkin at all—

Fincher is a ridiculously good editor- one of the best we have— and the Regatta scene, paired with music and stunning photography is just him showing that skill off without Sorkin at all—

  • but, overall- Fincher’s largest  achievement in the film is the mise-en-scene specifically the lighting. It’s just very rare in cinema’s history that an auteur/director make his movies so specifically unique to look at in every frame and so beautiful. It’s unmistakably a Fincher film from the lighting. Look at the scene with the twins in the tank—look at the color of the water. Do yourself a favor and watch this in a completely dark room (just like all of Fincher’s work)–if you try to watch it during the day– the characters just disappear

It’s just very rare in cinema’s history that an auteur/director make his movies so specifically unique to look at in every frame and so beautiful.

It’s a film that may combine the best work of both David Fincher and Aaron Sorkin

Do yourself a favor and watch this in a completely dark room (just like all of Fincher’s work)–if you try to watch it during the day— the characters just disappear

You almost don’t notice the triumph of lighting the first time because of Sorkin’s dialogue and talented young cast

  • Timberlake is revelation—comes in about half-way through the film and the film is off again- he’s intoxicatingly good. It’s not him though, and as much as I like the cast it’s not the cast—it’s Fincher—he made Ben Affleck and Tyler Perry amazing in Gone Girl
  • The dialogue makes for a strategic chess match and a rallying tennis match simultaneously. Sorkin is taking us in and out of a series of conversations, testimonies in the larger structure—and then within the scenes the verbal wit is without a peer
  • Another show-off editing for Fincher is Timberlake’s dinner montage—the opening hacking scene is set up this way as well
  • “The Ambush”- lighting as mise-en-scene as Fincher shoots Garfield at lower angles- it’s Welles, Pakula or Soderbergh

“The Ambush”- lighting as mise-en-scene as Fincher shoots Garfield at lower angles- it’s Welles, Pakula or Soderbergh

  • I might change the ending with the Beatles song—“Baby, You’re a Rich Man”—The Beatles are notoriously hard to get and it’s a coup to have their song in your film—but I’d go back to Rezner’s notes like the opening and the ambush
  • A Masterpiece