"Like" Button? Give Me "Love"

I must say, after reading Armand White's critique of The Social Network, I have to agree with most of the things he says, but that doesn't stop me from loving the movie any less. The movie nailed exactly what it set out to do, and I think White should look into the reasons behind our admiration for Zuckerberg instead of criticizing the movie itself.

I know everyone's going on about Andrew Garfield this and Garfield that, and I admit he was fantastic, but Jesse Eisenberg definitely cinched it for me. He has the most difficult job out of anyone - being an unrepentant asshole, screwing over his best friend, and still we admire him.

You still root for him despite him being an "asshole" (as he's called several times, notably, throughout the movie) because he's brilliant, straightforward, blunt, and completely unapologetic about it. There are no social redeeming qualities to him, but that's part of his appeal. Much like Sue Sylvester and Ari Gold, we can't help but admire that aspect. He doesn't say things specifically to hurt people, he just has no mind filter. And I admit, we wouldn't like him as much if he didn't say such clever things all the time.

And Eisenberg's great delivery definitely helps.

But overall, I'm not sure it's a terrible thing if American begins to worship at the alter of the geek instead of the altar of the jocks (as represented by the Winklevi). But I hope people realize that a great deal of the movie is fabricated and one key character doesn't exist in real life at all. Before they assume that it's a 100% accurate biopic, I hope they Google that shit.

Some great, insightful articles on the real, and may I say, definitively less ruthless and wiseass Mark Zuckerberg:

Sillicon Valley reacts after seeing The Social Network

A great profile on him in "The New Yorker"

Pics of his real girlfriend to whom presumably he is not an asshole towards otherwise they wouldn't have moved in together, Priscilla Chan

I'm praying that it won't fade on me. Please? So far, I haven't been feeling the unease after seeing The Dark Knight, when my original declaration that it was a masterpiece slowly ebbed as I began to grow less enamored with it every second I spent thinking about it. The adrenaline of the ride was not enough to sustain the aftermath. But The Social Network is so well constructed. Here's to hoping that it will age like fine wine, or better yet, like Fincher's other tour de force, Fight Club.

*Postnote: Part of the reason why I'm so impressed with Eisenberg is because I had pretty low expectations all along. I read an interview several months back when he said he enjoyed playing the asshole for once, meeting my condescending disapproval ("that's simplistic and no one will care about your character if you do that!") and the endless promo photos of his unsmiling Zuckerberg led me to worry that his acting would merely consist between one-note expressions that alternated between poker-face and constipated, as is generally the result when many actors attempt to be "stoic". I didn't have any faith. But again, he nailed everything. I'll need to see it again but I'm a bit in love with the performance for now. Full apologies for Mr. Eisenberg for having considered him a less appealing version of Michael Cera, though I'll wait for him to demonstrate his full range before I commit to him.