An interesting insight into how Facebook came about

Rating: 7/10 (10 November 2010)

This movie in my honest opinion is a little too long, its extremely boring at times with the tedium of litigation fought out in a 'boardroom' but nonetheless engrossing, engaging and interesting - and lets face it, who doesn't use Facebook nowadays? Imagine if they made a similar movie about Bill Gates and the creation of Microsoft! It is also interesting to note from here that David Fincher was the Director behind Benjamin Button, Fight Club and Seven, all good movies in their own right. This is also a very good movie, but as others have said, it is just that - good - trying too hard to be great.
I have got to say that the main character portrayed for creating Facebook in the movie is extremely annoying throughout. Very obnoxious and offensive and I felt sorry for the two guys who worked with him in the Facebook set up.
Justin Timberlake steals the show to some extent as Napsters Sean Parker, impeccable acting, as an actor, he never fails to deliver.
I quite believe that the drift of the story in the film is accurate but there are clearly changes to create a drama. If the real lives story are followed, then there should be no drama for us to enjoy and it is the drama which makes the film for me, not the actual telling of the Facebook story which was thrown in for good measure.
We can all watch this and think - wow, what if I had thought of that simple concept back in the Autumn of 2003, but then again, would I really want such a life changing experience which would jeopardise my relationship with family and friends.
The movie is flawed in a number of basic areas. I assume nobody gets into Harward without some academic and family qualifying criteria but this is never mentioned in the movie, unlikely the twins who are clearly guys from a family with money.
More than once, the point is made that the guy has become the youngest billionaire on earth and that he was ruthless in his determination to execute his plan and get Facebook online, to the cost of friends (and perhaps family) connections.
With this in mind, as others have said, the film should have objectively explained to us how the Facebook website could come to be so valued by such a high figure after such a short time. Certainly Sean Parker speculated during the movie but this was way short of figures being talked about in litigation.
This was a dangerous film to watch in some ways and yet worth watching a second time to 'comb the dialogue' which was constant throughout. Dangerous because we might be wrongly inspired by its message and perhaps even distrusting of the purpose of a social networking site.
I always enjoy 'insight' films and I enjoyed this one despite anything I say which may be construed as negative. The opening scene between the guy and the girlfriend was incredibly tedious and could have been considerably shortened but never mind that, maybe that is the screenplay writer trying to score early points for an Oscar nomination.
Not an Oscar movie for me but its a very credible movie overall