The Social Network (2010)

Director: David Fincher

Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake

As Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg creates the social networking site that would become known as Facebook, he is sued by the twins who claimed he stole their idea, and by the co-founder who was later squeezed out of the business.

If you still haven’t heard of Facebook, you must be living under a rock or in a cave. There are currently 2.94 billion monthly active Facebook users, making it one of the most-used Internet websites.

I liked ‘The Social Network’ for a few reasons, and I disliked it for many reasons. Based on fact, the film tells the story of Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg’s lawsuits – not necessarily of Facebook as you might have thought. Facebook started when a young Zuckerberg developed a simple computer program called FaceMatch, whilst at college. The program mocked and degraded women, but it became a hit in college.

Impressed by his work, Zuckerberg was approached by the Winklevoss twins to help them on a project. Zuckerberg agreed to help them, but weeks later – after having worked on the project – told them there were too many issues. In the meantime he started Facebook. The Winklevoss brothers then sued Zuckerberg for stealing their idea. Did he indeed steal their idea, or was Facebook entirely his own concept?

Ok, what I liked about the film, were the performances – especially Jesse Eisenberg as Mark Zuckerberg, and Andrew Garfield as his friend and Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin. All the female characters in the film were annoying. Could this have been done intentionally judging by Zuckerberg’s view of women with his FaceMatch program, or were all the women in his life – and his friends’ – really all annoying? Hard to tell…

Zuckerberg is depicted as a backstabber, who can’t be trusted and cannot be considered loyal, and acted as if he believed he was better than everyone else. The man betrayed his best friend and investor, for goodness sake!! By the end of the film I didn’t like the character and I can’t remember rooting for him throughout the movie. (Not sure I’m going to like the real Zuckerberg).

‘The Social Network’ earned nearly $225 million on a $40 million budget. It received 358 award nominations winning 172 including 3 Oscars.

Would I watch it again? No.