The Social Network (2010)

Going in, I was apprehensive about The Social Network. Although it had already garnered a lot of praise – merely a day after his release - I was unsure about the entertainment of a film that deals primarily with computer programming and lawsuits – two of the most boring subjects one could imagine watching transpire onscreen.

I was wrong.

The film, directed by David Fincher and affectionately dubbed “the Facebook movie” by many, follows Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) in his pursuit to create and develop the popular networking site. Along the way, Zuckerberg is slapped with two lawsuits; one from his best (read: only) friend and CEO of Facebook, Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield). The other is imposed by twins Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss (Armie Hammer), fellow Harvard students and avid crew competitors who claim that Zuckerberg stole their idea for a networking site called “The Harvard Connection.” Zuckerberg meets and befriends Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake), who introduces him to the endless possibilities of what Facebook could be, and helps Zuckerberg streamline and expand.

Screenwriter Aaron Sorkin does a wonderful job keeping the story enthralling by placing the primary focus on characters. Indeed, all of the drama is derived from personal relationships: Zuckerberg’s friendship with Saverin; the breakup between Zuckerberg and his girlfriend, Erica (Rooney Mara); the growing rivalry between Saverin and Parker; even the concept of Facebook itself. Sorkin’s dialogue is quick and witty – it doesn’t slow down and wait for the audience to catch up (as best demonstrated in the very first scene, where Zuckerberg and Erica engage in breakneck back-and-forth conversation). Indeed, some of the film’s rapid dialogue is so quick that the film merits a second viewing to catch all of it. But the dialogue feels real – at least, real for a computer programming expert and entrepreneurial genius.

Another great element of the script was that there are no clearly-defined antagonists. Many of the characters have disagreeable qualities, but all of the film’s conflicts can be understood from both points of view. Was Zuckerberg right to replace Saverin without his knowledge, even though Saverin was going in a completely different direction than Zuckerberg wanted? Should he have built upon an idea inspired by the Winklevoss twins, or was that intellectual theft, as they believed? Many of the questions the film arises prove to be morally ambiguous.

The deposition scenes, which could have easily slowed the film down to a sluggish pace, were kept interesting by being intercut with scenes of the action leading up to them. It’s the classic instance of “show, don’t tell.” That, in combination with Zuckerberg’s snappy responses, kept the lawsuit content fresh and engaging.

The acting was great – Eisenberg’s Zuckerberg was selfish, socially incompetent, academically condescending, and yet somehow we still manage to feel sorry for him because he lacks the one thing that makes Facebook function at its most primary basis – friendship. Still, we can’t help but admire him because of his hard work, dedication, and inability to be seduced by the wild lifestyle so easily accessible to him. Garfield’s Saverin provides for a loyal companion – that is, until Zuckerberg screws him over. But perhaps it was Saverin’s own fault, for refusing to abandon his crusade for advertising. Timberlake’s Parker is wild, ambitious, and egocentric; yet it was because of his contributions that Facebook is now utilized worldwide. Each of the main characters was multi-faceted, with understandable catalysts behind their actions. 

Seeing this film did stimulate thoughts about the motives behind Facebook (where I’m sure many of you are reading this review). Zuckerberg admits that the inspiration for the site was that it would allow people to “spy” on their friends. Gone are the days of meeting someone personally and learning about them the “old-fashioned” way; now all it takes is one search of their name, and we are presented with an overabundance of information: birthdate, hometown, relationship status, family, political views, interests, even photos. We can decide whether or not it’s worth our time to “friend” someone before so much as speaking to them. What started out as an easier way to connect with classmates quickly grew to something much, much more.

Go see The Social Network. If for nothing else, it’ll give you something to update your status about.