The Social Network Review

Tonight I, Kyle, got the pleasure of seeing the movie The Social Network. So I'm going to review it for you. Yes, you. And nobody else. Just you.

The Social Network may not be what you think it is. It's not Hollywood trying to capatalize on Facebook's success and making "Facebook: The Movie". It's an interesting dramatic film directed by David Fincher, and is based on the founders of Facebook and what went into getting the website to where it is today. Most of it is based on true events, although it can be assumed that the filmmakers made it a bit more exciting than it actually was. But hey, I wasn't complaining.

Jesse Eisenberg plays Mark Zuckerburg, the founder of Facebook, and while he may appear to be the main character, he isn't your typical protagonist. He doesn't really protray many likeable attributes, and is kind of a jerk to everyone he meets, albiet usually unintentionally. However, Eisenberg plays him almost perfectly, with just enough quiet sadness for the audience to sympathize with. How truthful this is to Zuckerburg's true character is uncertain, but it defiantly works for this film.

The film follows Mark from lowly nerd to the billionare he is today. His best friend Eduardo Saverin, played by future Spider-Man actor Andrew Garfield, helps him start Facebook. As Marks's website grows, Eduardo's role and influence diminishes. It doesn't help when Mark meets the creator of Napster Sean Parker, coincidently enough played by Justin Timberlake. Sean convinces Mark that he should move out to California and becomes his business partner. A rift eventually forms between Eduardo and Mark, and comes to a boiling point in an intense scene where both actors really get to show their stuff.

By the end of the movie, Mark has a lot more money, but just as few friends as before. Of course, the irony here being the founder of Facebook doesn't have very many friends. This movie shows that putting business and efficiancy before your relationships doesn't always end the best way. Mark obviously came out succesful, but at a cost.

Despite what you may think, this movie never ceased to entertain. The script is clever and occasionally quite funny, but never losing it's heart in the process. You may not necessarly care about all of these characters, but they are all well-developed and interesting. Even though you know where much of the film is headed, it never gets boring. I can give this a very high recommendation for anyone who has ever used Facebook, or really for anyone who loves a great character study.

9/10