Yesterday at the Soho Apple Store, The Social Network director David Fincher and star Jesse Eisenberg sat for a Q&A. Given that there’s already been significant flap over the film’s accuracy, especially with respect to its portrayal of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, it came as no surprise that someone asked the pair about possible misrepresentation. Just how fast and loose are they playing with the lives of Zuckerberg et al? Fincher spoke for both of them, saying, “I don’t think it would be responsible for either of us to enter into an endeavor that was simply a million dollar hatchet job.”

Fincher went to admit that lots of conversations were naturally “distilled, crystallized and crushed” for the sake of narrative economy, and that everyone involved knew full well that “specifics of what they were talking about were debatable.” Nevertheless, their aim was true. “I think we got to a kind of truth about a place, a time, and a group of people—specifically the people whose names we used. I hope it’s fair. The intention was to be fair.”

For once I agree with Jeffrey Wells: that’s a reasonable and honest answer. Fincher’s full response is below: