One of the definitive films of this era

Rating: 9/10 (15 February 2015)

While some may consider the comparison sacrilegious, The Social Network is essentially a modern version of Citizen Kane (it even has its own version of Rosebud), and while it doesn't have the same scale of Welles' film, it's almost as good. It's about the true story of Mark Zuckerberg, who became the youngest billionaire in history after founding Facebook. The film uses Zuckerberg's life as a metaphor for the ironic isolating effect social networks have on individuals. He's desperate for genuine human connection, but incapable of fitting into the world of the social elite, so he invents a virtual way to crash the party, which only isolates him even further from the society he wishes to be a part of, as well as the few real friends he started out with. It's an excellent film about capitalism's "expand or die" principle. Every time Zuckerberg hits a roadblock in his personal life, his answer is to expand the reach of the company in a futile quest to prove his worth. The Social Network features a haunting score by Trent Reznor; its dark tones establish a sinister atmosphere and prevent the perception that Zuckerberg's attitude and achievements are something to celebrate, and Aaron Sorkin's script weaves together multiple narrative threads in a seamless structure. David Fincher's film should be remembered as one of the definitive films of its era.