BOTTOM LINE: Cleverly written with some excellent performances, combined with David Fincher’s expert directorial touch, “The Social Network” is a joy to watch, even if this origin tale of Facebook is given more colour and drama than the real life version it is based on.

THE GOOD: There’s something quite satisfying about going in to a film when you know the director is on top of his game and the only question is what ride is he/she going to take you on. David Fincher does it yet again, with a topic that could possibly be an unlikely source for entertainment. Screenwriter Aaron Sorkin has embellished the story of the founding of social network web site Facebook, but in doing so has fashioned a tale of intrigue, drama, double-crossing and fun humour. What impresses so much is that between Sorkin’s script and Fincher’s direction, they not only create a fascinating character tale, but they actually create the world of Harvard, the way of life for the students, and what it was like to be there. You can really feel and sense the world created for this film, and even though it was only seven years ago, it actually feels like a period film, largely because technology has changed so much since then and you really notice it. Jessie Eisenberg is in top form as Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. His rampant and fast-paced speech, combined with a determined and focused glaze effectively deliver a performance of a genius character; he is not likeable at all, yet he is imminently watchable. Justin Timberlake is a revelation as Napster-founder Sean Parker. He slides his way in as the slick and cool Parker with relative ease. Andrew Garfield is excellent as Eduardo Severin, Zuckerberg’s CFO and partner. And Armie Hammer has the dual role of twins Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss who claim Zuckerberg stole their idea. The interaction of all these characters is almost Shakespearean in nature, except no one kills any one, and in this respect, it is a lot of fun to watch. The Social Network is another triumph by director David Fincher and well worth the trip.

THE BAD: As with any stories based on real life, the fiction is more interesting than the truth. Certain aspects of the timeline are correct, but the more colourful and dramatic interactions are probably not true. In many ways, the film is so well done that this does not really matter, but it is hard sometimes with films based on real life events when liberties are taken with the facts. Given Zuckerberg’s seemingly direct way of achieving his goals to the detriment of any one who stands in his way, even those who support him, this make him a very unlikeable character, and this is not the film to gain any sense of the real man this film is based on and how he changed the world.