David Fincher got back in the music video saddle specifically for his “Social Network” compadre Justin Timberlake and his new jam “Suit & Tie” featuring Jay-Z. The result is the two superstars all dressed up in black in white — meaning, their clothes and the shades of the video — in a gorgeous Old Hollywood setup.
Timberlake appears in scenes from his hotel bedroom to the big stage, with the best scenery taken from the latter as he’s flanked by dancers and a horn orchestra.
Let him show you a few things:
- Check out that strut Jay-Z makes from the back of the stage to the front for his still-strangely dark verse. Like it’s nothin’. Perfect
- No, Jessica Biel isn’t there
- I know J-Tim is the center of attention, but allow for your eyes to drift left as he’s in the shell. That dancer with the shave head? He’s like ungh.
- What’s with all the smoking? I know this is homage, but the cigar and cigarette smoke isn’t so pretty that it makes smoking un-ugly
I still find this “comeback” single underwhelming for somebody of Timberlake’s caliber, particularly with the weak opening “I’ll be on my suit and tie / sh*t tie sh*t tie” (seriously, that idea should have never left the brainstorming session). But this is an easy-to-look-at, strictly sparkling video to amp it up. We’ll see what happens to “Mirrors” after this.
“Suit & Tie” is off of Timberlake’s forthcoming “The 20/20 Experience” album, due on March 18.