The Social Network
Director: David Fincher
Actors: Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake, Brenda Song, Armie Hammer, Max Minghella, Rashida Jones, Rooney Mara
Facebook is something millions of people use everyday without knowing about the unusual backstory behind it all. This film, adapted from the book The Accidental Billionaires by Ben Mezrich, tells the story of the creation and lawsuits of Facebook. The film begins with Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) being dumped by his girlfriend Erica Albright (Rooney Mara). Zuckerberg proceeds to go to his dorm and write the code for a website called FaceMash where people can vote on the hotness of two girls shown together. Zuckerberg is put in academic probation, is hated by all Harvard girls, but gets the attention of Harvard brothers Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss (Armie Hammer) and their business partner Divya Narendra (Max Minghella). They want Zuckerberg to write the code for a website they are inventing call HarvardConnection. Zuckerberg accepts but over the next few weeks starts to create his own website, "Thefacebook". To get the funding for the site, Mark asks his best friend and later co-founder of Facebook Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield). The website becomes an instant success. As the site expands, Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake), founder of Napster, notices it and decides to become friends and business partners with Zuckerberg. The rest of the film, not to spoil it, deals with Facebook growing, the Winklevoss twins suing Zuckerberg, and the decline and eventual loss of the friendship between Zuckerberg and Saverin.
The Social Network is a film that many people can relate to because of the fact that millions of people use it. Watching the film, you feel like you are apart of it. You feel as though it applies to you and everyone else. That being said, this film is a generation film. Facebook is something that has defined our this decade. One thing said in the film is that Facebook will never be finished just like fashion is never finished. This is true because we use Facebook now and our kids will use Facebook as will there kids until the next big thing comes along. But, even then it won't die. Facebook is a lasting idea that Zuckerberg came up with drunk one fall night in his sophmore dorm room and it has evolved into a valued 50 billion dollar company with 600 million members. As Sean Parker says in the film, "This is a once-in-a-generation, holy shit idea."
This film was doubted when it was first announced it would be made. But, as time went on, hype built up around it and there was a lot of critical praise. To go into the film with high expectations and to walk out with all those expectations succeeded fulfilled and achieved told me that this film was great. The film itself works well with all aspects of it together. The film works together with its direction, acting, soundtrack, and script by Aaron Sorkin. Jesse Eisenberg gives an outstanding performance as Mark Zuckerberg who you hate but at the same time admire. Justin Timberlake also is a huge factor of why this film works. I am upset, though, that Andrew Garfield got overlooked at the 83rd Academy Awards for best supporting actor.
Overall, this film lives up to its hype and it a film I thoroughly enjoyed. The acting is great. David Fincher succeeded in directing a great film. I can't quite give it a 5 though because there are times when it lags a little. But other than that, it is a great movie.
Rating: 4
Matt
The Social Network is a film that many people can relate to because of the fact that millions of people use it. Watching the film, you feel like you are apart of it. You feel as though it applies to you and everyone else. That being said, this film is a generation film. Facebook is something that has defined our this decade. One thing said in the film is that Facebook will never be finished just like fashion is never finished. This is true because we use Facebook now and our kids will use Facebook as will there kids until the next big thing comes along. But, even then it won't die. Facebook is a lasting idea that Zuckerberg came up with drunk one fall night in his sophmore dorm room and it has evolved into a valued 50 billion dollar company with 600 million members. As Sean Parker says in the film, "This is a once-in-a-generation, holy shit idea."
This film was doubted when it was first announced it would be made. But, as time went on, hype built up around it and there was a lot of critical praise. To go into the film with high expectations and to walk out with all those expectations succeeded fulfilled and achieved told me that this film was great. The film itself works well with all aspects of it together. The film works together with its direction, acting, soundtrack, and script by Aaron Sorkin. Jesse Eisenberg gives an outstanding performance as Mark Zuckerberg who you hate but at the same time admire. Justin Timberlake also is a huge factor of why this film works. I am upset, though, that Andrew Garfield got overlooked at the 83rd Academy Awards for best supporting actor.
Overall, this film lives up to its hype and it a film I thoroughly enjoyed. The acting is great. David Fincher succeeded in directing a great film. I can't quite give it a 5 though because there are times when it lags a little. But other than that, it is a great movie.
Rating: 4
Matt
