The Social Network is a movie about a bunch of nerds walking, talking and typing. It could have easily been a made-for-tv movie manufactured with the same superficial sentiment and artificial poignancy as that bullshit show, My Generation. The truth is, The Social Network is great because of two reasons:

1. Aaron Fucking Sorkin
The Screenplay is so, SO tight and the dialogue is so, SO sharp. Conversations feel like war. It’s funny and dark and badass and just keeps going until the end. There isn’t a dull moment in the script, and not a word wasted in the dialogue. There isn’t a character mired in expository doldrums either. It’s rare to find a movie where every actor has a moment to shine. It’s exciting when every scene in a movie arrives as a new favorite moment. An Oscar for best adapted screenplay is in the bag.

2. David Fucking Fincher
Now look, just because you’ve got a terrific script doesn’t mean you’ve got a terrific movie. Fincher showed up and brought his A+ game usual. What was so engaging for me was how subdued the direction was. Not many elaborate camera set-ups or haughty FX. This is as straight forward as I’ve ever seen the man… and it really worked. But don’t be mistaken. You’re still getting all the eye candy you love from Fincher, truest during the Henley Royal Regatta sequence, but in a much more classic form. Here is the first time that he wasn’t the star of his own film. That’s not a dis, I love Fincher’s style. Truth be told, as great as The Social Network is, it’s no Se7en or Fight Club. But then again, you’re reading the opinion of someone who loved Benjamin Button.

Other than that, yeah, all the actors are great in it, even Timberlake. I hated the prick! But I was supposed to! Eisenberg is the rich man’s Michael Cera. Dude is the future. He owned his role as Zuckerberg. But the one who stole the show for me was Armie Hammer, who plays both crew rowing, self effacing yet aggrandizing, douchebag Winklevoss twins. Hammer should quit acting now because he’ll never get a better role than this.

One more thing. The score is tremendous. It’s completely intertwined with the experience and emotion of the movie. Get ready to see Trent and Atticus in tuxedos a lot this award season.

So look, at the end of the day this isn’t a movie that will change your life. This isn’t the next Citizen Kane, or the best film of the decade. The truth is that it’s really great and you should see it. If you love Fincher or Sorkin, hit the theater. If you are on the fence, wait for it on DVD. Either way you win.

- Cornbluth