Movie Review of “The Social Network”B2 

Have you been to see this movie since its release? It is based on the not so true exploits of CEO computer with Mark Zucherberg. You know the guy who in 2004 almost single-handedly created the #1 social network application online, Facebook; today this site boasts well over 500 million followers. This movie is not about good versus bad, or good triumphing over evil, and it offers no gratuitous violence involving ninjas, weapons or cartoon characters either.

This is basically a story about a man who has a lot of deeply resentful girl troubles, an ego as big as a giant pumpkin, a close friend whom he betrays, plus a madcap pleasure in upsetting a lot of guilty and innocent people, including his complete university faculty and anyone willing to be a competitor. In one of the opening scenes in this movie Zucherberg introduces a student from Harvard who is sometimes dating a female student from Boston University, whom he berates because she's from B.U., is not that smart, and just doesn't understand social pressures at the university level—just a sure-fire case of a swollen head ego-trip. *tsk*, *tsk*, *tsk*.

The movie moves along fairly slowly as Zucherberg's obsession with hot chicks evolves into the evil creation of a “hot or not” website, he calls facemash.com where his users steal the online pictures of, mostly Harvard, coeds which are hacked to pieces by these gutless men. Talk about a mature way to behave after the B.U. girl dumps him! Throughout the movie you continually see that Zucherberg's twisted humor, determination, ingeniousness and his sardonic wit is a match for anyone or all he encounters, both friends and foes alike.

This movie lets you in on the basic plot to create Facebook, from its inception, and reaches epic proportions making Zuckerberg one of this country's youngest billionaires in real life. Many fine actors take part in this movie and do justice to their own character portrayal. From Jesse Eisenberg who plays Zucherberg (though in real life they don't even look alike), the betrayed friend who lent Zucherberg the money to get his dream started - played very well by up-and-coming actor Andrew Garvin in his character of Eduardo Saverin (and for all intents could pose as his brother), to Brenda Song, an actress known for her comedic wit on YTV. It also features actor Arnie Hammer, playing both whacky Winklevoss twins, who claim Facebook was their idea and Zucherberg stole it from them.

This movie, now the top movie in the country for two straight weeks, never does tell you where reality ends and fantasy begins in any of its so-called truths. The real Zucherberg, who previously said he would not ever see the cinematic version, recently recanted and last weekend saw the movie based on him. His one comment was in regard to the character in the movie talking continually. The real Zucherberg said that “it really was interesting the things they got right, even down to his T-shirts and fleeces,” but as for any shady dealing revealed, “ It's really a big disconnect from the way these movie-makers think we do business down here in Silicon Valley.”
He should say that when the movie also shows his shadier side. In another movie scene, Zucherberg is going to hire some associates to work for him. So what does our hero do? He gets those he interviews to hack into a private database while doing booze shots, to find out how good they are, and if they will cooperate with what he says without hassle. The funny part is Zucherberg rarely ever says anything back and forgets their names when he does try to remember them. Maybe he should have invested in a pen and paper?

The movie also involves a CEO of Napster where Justin Timberlake plays Sean Parker the self-absorbed leader and student, who after lending Zucherberg some cash as an investor in Facebook, tells him flatly “what's cool is a million dollars”. This is where Zuchenberg is fed by his ego and in his thoughts of grandeur, betrays his best friend to move up in internet circles. Always seeking approval from his betters, putting down his peers, and being utterly contemptuous to them all seems to be the creed that Zucherberg employs and because of this ends up a lonely, unappreciated genius in the movie.

In an eerie final scene, Facebook is a reality and a huge success—you see Zucherberg standing there with his creation that kind of reminds of one of Boris Karloff’s Frankenstein movies; you almost expect him to blurt out “Eat Igor”.  The movie itself leaves you wondering about a few things that were not explained. Did the feud with the Winklevoss twins ever end or get settled?  Was it worth the effort to betray his friend for money? Did he ever get the girl? Yes, they did settle the feud where Zucherberg paid out $65 million to the real Winklevoss family, but his betrayal ended up netting him at last count over $25 billion dollars. Facebook, of which he is still the real CEO, has made more money than Cablevision, or the entire car bailout program the government recently paid in the USA. And the irony is the movie is projected to make up to $200 million when the books are balanced.