The Social Network

Leave it to the impressive talents of David Fincher and Aaron Sorkin to craft a film that gives the birth and times of Facebook a near-operatic quality. At least, that's sure how it looks.

Adapted from the book, "The Accidental Billionaires" by Ben Mezrich, "The Social Network" tells the story of Mark Zuckerberg and what led him to creating Facebook.com, the social networking site on which I will be advertising this blog entry.

Facebook itself has the interesting quality of sharing traits with a black hole: nothing can escape its gravitational pull. This in-and-of itself could be written off as merely amusing and topical, but when it becomes the poster child for the voluntary end of privacy, you have entered into territory shared by few.

You're talking about something very scary.

The makers of this trailer know this well.

Beginning with tiny glimpses into the lives of people we don't know, via profile interfaces with which we are all intimately familiar, the trailer quickly sets up Jesse Eisenberg (who shares some traits with Michael Cera without carrying Michael Cera's-Cera-baggage) as young Zuckerberg, a college kid who just wants into the exclusive clubs.

Boy, does he get there.

The trailer explains that the film will deal with unforeseen (and perhaps, immaterial to Zuckerberg) moral, ethical, and legal complications for his social networking site. Though it cleverly conceals most of the actual plot.

Typical snazzy Sorkin dialogue is present, along with Fincher's visual flourishes, and when combined with what looks to be a rich performance by Eisenberg and a slick turn by actor-singer-do-anything Justin Timberlake, sets up for a film that will amuse and unsettle.

One wonders how many people will delete their facebook accounts upon seeing the film, and how many 'uninitiated' will say to their friends, "See? This is why I never signed up."

As I mentioned before, the trailer has an operatic quality and sets up stakes that are almost global in impact, which is true enough. In the hands of lesser filmmakers (and certainly, lesser trailer-makers) this story could be small enough to only affect the lives of Zuckerberg and those around him. Given to Fincher and Sorkin -- well -- time will tell, but I have my suspicions.

The trailer itself is an incredible piece of work, and if the movie to follow is any indication, this is an easy 'Opening Night' rating.

'The Social Network' hits theaters on October 1.

Until next time.