Well Made but Flawed

Rating: 8/10 (19 December 2011)

A movie about Facebook? Really? This is what I was thinking when I first heard about this film. Thankfully, after viewing, my opinion changed. Director David Fincher has pulled off a very well made film thanks to the story, dialog, and the acting.
Jesse Eisenberg plays Mark Zuckerberg, a student at Harvard University who has begun work in his college dorm with his roommate to make Facebook, a social networking website in which users can create a personal profile and connect with other users. However, lawsuits arise that accuse Zuckerberg of stealing the idea from another group of students. As the site continues to grow, Mark meets Sean Parker, a very successful entrepreneur. Mark beings to gravitate more towards Sean, leaving his roommate behind.
Overall, I really enjoyed the film. It was engaging, intelligent, and above all, fresh. The acting was phenomenal. Jesse Eisenberg truly comes off as a witty college kid. Justin Timberlake, who played Sean Parker, does a terrific job in a fairly clichéd role as well. However, I felt that the film's biggest downfall was the portrayal of Zuckerberg. Although he is humorous and intelligent, he ultimately was egotistical and arrogant. From the opening scene, he comes off, in my opinion, as very unlikeable; someone who really needs to take a class on thinking before speaking. So for the entire film, I often found myself rooting for his roommate, a much more down to earth guy, as opposed to Zuckerberg. So yeah, I enjoyed the film, but if I was the real life Mark Zuckerberg, I would not be pleased with my portrayal.