The Social Network
Directed by: David Fincher
Written by: Aaron Sorkin (screenplay), Ben Mezrich (book)
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Rashida Jones, and Justin Timberlake

There’s always that early fall movie that gets ridiculously good reviews.  Last year it was Precious, and this year it looks like David Fincher’s Facebook exposé The Social Network.  Already hailed as a classic by publications as diverse as Rolling Stone and Film Comment, it looks to be yet another “movie of the moment,” much like Up in the Air. It’s hard pressed to make that kind of judgment until the movie actually comes out, but the trailer itself doesn’t speak this highly of the movie.

Set to an anti-Glee chorus version of Radiohead’s “Creep,” the trailer sets up background on Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg), the anti-hero of the film and founder of one of the most popular websites of all time.  It begins on the right path with a creepy close-up of several computer screens doing things on Facebook.  However, it soon dissolves into something closely resembling a a 60 Minutes segment, letting Zuckerberg explain his need for acceptance and how popular his site has become.

The many allegations of idea thievery surrounding Zuckerberg and the creation of Facebook will be present in the movie, and look to be a driving conflict.  I wouldn’t be surprised if this whole thing was about identity through these ideas.  Fincher deals with this theme in almost all of his movies, and a writer as good as Aaron Sorkin likely was likely smart enough to draw those dots.  However, the choice of Jesse Eisenberg, at least how he is portrayed in the trailer, looks to be a mistake.  It’s either the lines they chose or the performance itself, but he sounds amateur and terrible.  The social awkwardness of Zuckerberg doesn’t translate well here at all.

As a whole, the trailer could of course be worse.  For a movie with such sky-high reviews already, though, it’s disappointing.

Highs: The chorus version of “Creep,” and the opening montage.

Lows: Jesse Eisenberg as Mark Zuckerberg, at least the clips that were chosen.

Grade: C-