THE SOCIAL NETWORK

The Social Network, adapted from the best selling book ‘The Accidental Billionaires’, charts not only the rise of the Facebook phenomenon but also its founder Mark Zuckerberg. Like all good stories it is a tale or romance, rejection, friendship and betrayal.

Rejected by his girlfriend a drunken Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) creates a website that rates girls from his university, the site proves popular, overwhelming the university server until it is taken down and Mark is disciplined. Soon after Mark is approached by the Winklevoss twins, wanting him to write code for their new website idea, a social network built exclusively for Harvard university students. Mark agrees to help, until he has his own ideas about a similar website, which he begins working on with the help of his best friend and business partner Eduardo Saverin (future Spider-man Andrew Garfield). And thus Facebook is born.

The Social Network centres around the lawsuits brought against Zuckerberg by the Winklevoss’ for allegedly stealing their idea, and by Saverin who Zuckerberg, with the help of Napster founder Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake) is shut out from Facebook just as it becomes a success. Jumping between the parallel lawsuits and the early days of Facebook’s creation The Social Network explores the questions and ethics around who ‘owns’ an idea. Did Zuckerberg steal the idea for Facebook from the brothers Winklewoss? If he creates the code doesn’t that mean he owns it? Does he resent his best friend’s campus popularity? And most importantly, is Zuckerberg this much of a socially inept jerk in real life? Whatever the answer screenwriter Aaron Sorkin has crafted an engrossing story filled populated by fascinating characters whose motivations are never clear cut.

However a great script is nothing without a great cast and thankfully they all bring their A-game. Eisenberg is fascinating as Zuckerberg, a role that calls for him to be repellent and sympathetic while Garfield brings pathos to his performance as Zuckerberg’s former best friend Saverin. Timberlake is in his element as shifty Napster founder Sean Parker and Arnie Hammer does a stellar job as the screwed over (depending on your view) Winklevoss twins– hard to believe he’s not really a twin!

Also of note is the stylish direction by David Fincher (Seven, Zodiac, Panic Room) – the crew sequence is particularly arresting – and Nine Inch Nails front man Trent Reznor’s subtle but intriguing score. Fact or fiction, when all is said and done The Social Network is a sure fire Oscar contender and one of the most engrossing movies of the year. Like!

4 of 5 Stars