Status update: 'Social Network' is the best movie of the year

A great trailer does not always guarantee a great movie. When I first saw the trailer for "The Social Network" about a month ago (all right, when I watched it three times in a row), I was riveted - but I feared that the film itself might fall short of expectations.

If the witty, dark and absorbing story depicted in the trailer gave any indication of the quality of the actual movie, we were talking Best Picture-caliber stuff. But I was still skeptical. As it turns out, "The Social Network" is the best movie of the year to date.

Written by Aaron Sorkin ("A Few Good Men," "The West Wing"), directed by David Fincher ("Se7en," "Fight Club") and starring the criminally underused Jesse Eisenberg ("Zombieland," "Adventureland"), "The Social Network" chronicles the creation of Facebook by Harvard undergrads Mark Zuckerberg (Eisenberg) and Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield) and their subsequent rise to fame and fortune. The storyline is interwoven with scenes of Zuckerberg in the midst of two multi-milli0n- dollar lawsuits, which drive the plot forward and give even more depth to his character.

And what a character he is. Irrespective of what Zuckerberg is like in real life, his character in the movie can best be described as a mix of Michael Corleone and Charles Foster Kane wearing a gray hoodie, jeans and Adidas sandals (with socks in the winter). No, he may not be as violent as Corleone in "The Godfather Part II" or a demagogue like the man in "Citizen Kane," but Zuckerberg is just as brilliant, ruthless and lonely. Like those other icons of cinema, he creates an empire for himself and in doing so sacrifices the relationships most important to him. Eisenberg turns in a career-defining performance. He overflows with egotism and competitiveness while retaining a vulnerable core that draws empathy from the audience because, at the end of the day, he just wants to be cool.

The supporting cast also deserves praise, most notably Garfield and Justin Timberlake. It's not easy being a genius's best friend, especially when he's a borderline sociopath, and Garfield walks the line between devoted friend and concerned observer of Zuckerberg's moral demise with aplomb. Timberlake, playing Napster founder Sean Parker, oozes charisma and sarcasm with a hint of malice. I got the impression that he based his performance on the many money-hungry sleazes he must have dealt with in his musical career.

-Of course, the actors owe much of their success to the writing of Sorkin, whose script should be a shoo-in for an Academy Award nomination, and to Fincher's steady directing. The dialogue, while sometimes laden with computer jargon, is compelling, fast-paced and surprisingly funny. The plot functions somewhat like "Slumdog Millionaire," in that it never stays in one time period for too long, yet it still allows for the development of complicated, three-dimensional characters.

Fincher lets Sorkin's script take center stage, not overpowering it with his usual stylized camera work (other than a spectacular regatta scene). He does use some of the same still-camera and wide-angle techniques that were notable in his past two productions, which helps to establish the mood in pivotal scenes throughout the movie.

Much has been circulated in the media about the movie's overall message, and whether it vilifies or deifies Facebook. As I saw it, the movie simply shed light on some of the psychology and sociology behind why the website is so popular; never did I get the impression that it suggested we should stop using it. However, an important message for any budding Internet entrepreneurs: For your own sake, don't let your best friend know about your awesome idea. Trust me - it'll make things a lot less painful.