The Social Network

**Editor's Note** It was brought to my attention that this review can be read as 'spoiler-y.' So I re-read it and yes... it's spoiler-y. Heads up. **

Let's start by saying that I do have a Facebook account. Mainly because it's easier to keep in touch with my friends who are away at college. Sometimes I do something and I need to tell somebody... I'll post it on my Facebook wall. But that's all I really use it for. Ok... occasionally I creep on former friends pages. But that's only when I'm really bored.

So The Social Network makes me want to delete my account all together. I don't know if that's it's intended purpose but it's how I feel. The film settles around Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg). He is a Harvard undergrad who was recently dumped by his girlfriend because he was a complete dick. That is how the movie opens. It's probably my favorite scene in the movie. The banter is witty and quick. It just screams AARON SORKIN. Made me want to pull out seasons 1-4 of The West Wing.

Mark has one friend in Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield). 1/3 of the movie involves Eduardo suing Mark for upwards of $600,000. Another 1/3 involves Cameron Winklevoss, Tyler Winklevoss (both played by Armie Hammer) and Divya Narendra suing Mark for stealing their idea to make Facebook. The last 1/3 shows the events of the two depositions playing out.

So Mark made a website called Facemash where he hacked into Harvard's computer system to pull all the girls pictures and then preceded to allow people to vote on which one was hotter: the one on the left or the one on the right. After this incident he was approached by the Winklevoss twins and Narendra to write code for a website they wanted to create called Harvard Connection. Where there would be a profile page and picture and people could... you know... connect.

Then Mark approaches Eduardo to help him with an idea for The Facebook. Which is basically Facebook as we know it today. The point of the movie is for you to decide if Mark stole the code from Narendra and the Winklevi and if he royally screwed over his best friend. I'm of the mindset to believe that he didn't exactly steal from the Winklevi but he was definitely inspired by their concept. And as I previously established he is a dick and he did royally screw over his best friend.

It's in the addition of Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake) that Mark really looses his way. Sean infects Mark with his big ideas and Mark is more susceptible to his influence without Eduardo there to set him straight. Sean uses Mark to his own advantage and Mark seems perfectly fine with that.

The Social Network was directed by David Fincher (Se7en, Fight Club). It was written by Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing, A Few Good Men). It is superbly acted by Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, and Justin Timberlake. I don't know why but Timberlake surprises me in every film I've seen him in: Alpha Dog, Black Snake Moan, The Open Road. He can act and I love the irony that a man known for his musical talents is portraying a man who told everybody that they don't need to pay for music.

The dialogue is smart - - bordering on too smart. It can make the characters, especially Mark, unlikable. The scenes are beautifully shot. I just can't really relate to any of the characters. I did not get a 1600 on my SATs. I didn't go to Harvard. I don't have parents bank rolling my life. I don't expect things to go a certain way for me or for opportunities to fall in my lap. These people did. In the end, I only mildly felt sorry for some of them and not sorry at all for most of them.

But this was a great film. I really enjoyed it. It was a nice balance of humor and drama... the only way Sorkin can write.