A True Story of Consumption and Betrayal

Rating: 10/10 (2 October 2010)

The Social Network has a quality in movies that isn't utilized enough. It captures the feeling of "living it while watching it". After I watched The Social Network I felt I had lived the frustration, hardships, and everything in between dealt with by the film's protagonist Mark Zuckerberg. Few movies have that unique quality and since many movies that are released now are poor, rushed, CGI messes, The Social Network proves good films still exist out there.
Jesse Eisenberg is one of the many actors in the world today that is underrated, yet hasn't done a bad movie. He was funny and relatable in Zombieland, quirky yet lovable in Adventureland, and now he is smart and sophisticated playing quite possibly the biggest role in his filmography. His portrayal of Mark Zuckerberg is pure gold and almost Oscar worthy showing off how capable he is of a highly potential filled role. He shows off some clever one-liners in the film and even brings his full acting talents together by showing off technical humor in the film as well.
The plot takes place in Harvard University in 2003 when Mark Zuckerberg's (Eisenberg) severe frustration after his breakup with his girlfriend leads him to posting several hate comments on his LiveJournal account. Mark then hacks into various servers making "Face Mash" a site where people can rate the attraction of different women. Zuckerberg faces charges after the hacking which leads Cameron Winklevoss, Tyler Winklevoss (both played by Armie Hammer), and Divya Narendra (Max Minghella) to approach him and ask him if he would like to help them create a social networking site called "ConnectU".
Zuckerberg accepts the offer, but then goes to his friend Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield) with a similar idea about creating a site where friends can post status updates, pictures, talk to other friends, view other friends updates, and so on calling it "The Facebook". Mark and Eduardo spend a weekend working on the the idea and eventually launch it calling it "The Facebook" like planned. The Winklevoss twins are furious claiming Zuckerberg had stolen their idea for the website and are now suing him for breaking his word.
The film flashes back and forth from 2003 where Facebook started to when the lawsuit coincides with the part in the story. Its a unique action, the problem is it makes the film choppy. My only complaint is I could see where the crew was going trying to go back and forth between the birth/lawsuit. Though it makes the film choppy and almost slows things down. The Social Network runs for two hours when it could be cut back at least twenty minutes. Although the choppiness doesn't deteriorate much from the premise of overall idea of the film.
I like this movie for many things, mainly the script written perfectly by Aaron Sorkin which is one of the many things Oscar worthy about this film. Not only does the screenplay satisfy to various degrees having heavy technical jargon and amazing dialog scenes, it's director David Fincher does an amazing job holding the movie together and the effort amounts in this film are overall amazing. Jesse Eisenberg, like stated before, deserves an Oscar for his profound performance in this film. He is Mark Zuckerberg. His looks, attitude, and characteristics show he perfectly capable playing a big name role.
The movie teaches life lessons too. We see Napster's Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake, who gives a dynamite performance as well) walk into the picture to assist Zuckerberg with his Facebook site and basically kicks Saverin out of the picture. It shows that you need to keep your friends close. Anyone can waltz in and take control of your life if you let them. Don't put your friends aside for someone who loves your net worth more than the actual person. Here's the story of two friends who's website creation split their lives apart from each other because of Zuckerberg's selfish move. Rarely does a movie send a message so meaningful.
The Social Network is now my pick for best film of the year followed by Toy Story 3, then Easy A. The Social Network could have easily been a poor, lifeless retelling of the founding of one of the biggest social networking sites nowadays, but it chose to be as good as it did. While running long, it still manages to tell the story and events in broad, descriptive detail leaving no stone unturned. Most of the movie's characters don't appear as the real thing at the same time the story not being all the way true, you will get that with every movie "based on true events", The Social Network may anger Mark Zuckerberg, but it's still an informative, electric, dark, out of the ordinary, mesmerizing film with little to complain about. Fincher, Eisenberg, Sorkin, and everyone involved with the film have a perfect movie on their hands. One with a heart and soul.
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake, Brenda Song, Rooney Mara, Armie Hammer, and Max Minghella. Directed by: David Fincher.