I'm Coming Back For Everything: Why Every Scene Matters

It’s time for Short Cut and this edition focuses on David Fincher’s 2010 semi-true story The Social Network (TSN). The film follows Mark Zuckerberg and his creation of one of the largest social media platforms on the planet: Facebook. I saw this film in cinemas when it came out, but it took me many more years until I really appreciated what an exciting and engaging film Fincher had created.

As I was planning out this post, I realised that I could have chosen a couple of different scenes from this film. That’s one of Fincher’s true talents; he really grips the viewer. Even the moments that are ‘filler’, that are just required to get us from A to B, are appealing. I mean, after all, who really expected a film about the creation of Facebook to be as rousing as any thriller?

I’m sure most people in the world have heard of Mark Zuckerberg and so there will be little backstory required, but I am also sure that there are some things you don’t know. Despite debate as to how much truth is in the film - and of course, I’m sure artistic licence was used -, I am talking about the story that this film presents to us rather than what is a fact.

Facebook wasn’t solely Zuckerberg’s brainchild. There were multiple people involved in its creation: Sean Parker, the Winklevoss twins, Divya Narendra and, of course, the main character in this scene - Eduardo Saverin. The scene in question focuses on Eduardo Saverin realising that he is being edged out of the company by both Sean Parker and Zuckerberg, despite being one of the main investors. As he says himself, he has walked into ‘an ambush’. Anyone I know who has seen the film has remarked on this scene, so let's try and figure out what makes it so good.

As mentioned, Fincher always keeps the viewer engaged and I believe a lot of this success is because he is quick, sharp and to the point. This holds true for what I call ‘Eduardo’s realisation’. The editing is fast and the shots interchange from different angles. All of this is very reflective of Eduardo’s mental state. He has just walked into an ambush and so his body and mind are in overdrive.

Moments of realisation in cinema are very satisfying to an audience. We have emotional, even visceral reactions, to such narratives and the characters within them. We invest our time and emotions in a film. We follow it, stick with it and, when it comes full circle, we are rewarded for this investment. I believe that this is why this scene resonates with so many viewers.

You can’t really mention this scene without talking about the acting and the dialogue. Jesse Eisenberg (Zuckerberg), Andrew Garfield (Saverin) and Justin Timberlake (Parker) all give outstanding performances. The body language is so fitting for each character. The timid Zuckerberg sits small in his chair, nearly cowering at Saverin’s outrage. The smug, superior Parker puts up a tough front, but, once he is challenged on it, breaks and cowers. Saverin’s confidence is evident, from smashing Zuckerberg’s laptop to eloquently breaking down how he will seek revenge. Their personalities are not just present in their dialogue, but in everything they do.

I have already voiced Fincher’s ability to seize his viewers. Moments of pure exposition to progress narrative are just as exciting as any dramatic climax and this is achieved through unusual but effective techniques. Eduardo walks into a glass office in a trendy building, speaks to a lawyer and then all of a sudden there is silence. We never hear what was said inside that glass cubical. We only see Eduardo’s face and his rage as he realises that he has been betrayed. Eduardo looks at a small Zuckerberg off in the distance, headphones on, oblivious to the fury growing around him.

Instead of having a lawyer explain what is happening, the viewer gets to see it thrashed out between Eduardo and his now-ex-friends and ex-business partners. It is an interesting choice, but one that I see as vital to the scene’s and film’s success. It plays into our desire for a payoff, to be rewarded. Even when we know what’s coming, the film doesn’t hand the information to us on a plate. Fincher thinks about every step, every shot, every sentence, every move. That is why almost every scene from TSN could make it into a Short Cut post. That’s why Fincher is so good. Everything is considered.