The Social Network
 

The Social Network

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...g?t=1286080231

The Social Network tells the story of the rise of the phenomenon that is Facebook.

Mark Zuckerberg is dumped by his girlfriend in the opening scene and in a drunken rage he goes online and hacks into different websites to take student photos and create a site called FaceMash, where people pick which girl is hotter. This leads to some academic probation, but it catches the eyes of three other students who want to create a social networking site that would be exclusive to Harvard students. They tell Zuckerberg the idea and he joins the team. Unfortunately Zuckerberg shuts them off from communication and writes his own codes and brings in his best friend as CFO. Thus The Facebook is born. As the site gets more popular, Zuckerberg loses his connection with his best friend and ends up getting sued by him and the three students for millions of dollars.

When I first heard that there was going to be a movie based on Facebook, I rolled my eyes and asked why even bother. Then, to my surprise, I heard that David Fincher was set to direct. My interest perked up a little bit, after all the guy directs some stellar films. It wasn't until the trailers starting popping up did I really want to see this film. The accolades that it has been receiving added more anticipation. Now that I've seen the film, all I can say is bravo.

Fincher and soon to be nominated for best adapted screenplay Aaron Sorkin, have created a film that defines what this generation is all about. Facebook is such a cultural impact that some people can't live their lives without it. I have it open in another window as I'm writing this review right now. The film will undoubtably receive more award nominations than screenplay, I'm just curious to see if any of those are in the acting department because this cast is great.

Jesse Eisenberg, who people always claimed to be a Michael Cera rip off, commands the screen with his awkward and pseudo intelligent riffs in his speeding bullet laced monologues. The guy (Zuckerberg) is brilliant at code writing, but his social skills are clearly lacking. His best friend, Eduardo Saverin (soon to be Spiderman Andrew Garfield) is desperate to get into elite clubs and has his emotions close to the surface. Eventually they explode when he learns he's being shifted out of his CFO position. Garfield plays well opposite Eisenberg. To my surprise Justin Timberlake wasn't irritating. He plays egocentric Sean Parker and while I don't see any awards heading his way, he does help complete a well put together cast.

The story jumps between two timelines. The present, in which Zuckerberg is facing two lawsuits and the past, which we see the creation of facebook. Heaps of praise should be thrown on Fincher and Sorkin, they pulled off this structure perfectly. The film feels just like his previous efforts, dark and cold. Much like the depiction of Zuckerberg. I can't comment on how true the film depicts the events, but we all know he did get sued and the filmmakers stand by the truths they tell in this film. It's all heightened to be entertaining, but with Zuckerberg trying to steer clear, I see a lot of truth in this film.

The Social Network is one of the years best films. It's solid direction from Fincher, who knows what he wants from every aspect. Sorkin delivers a timeless story set in our age of the internet and facebook. Friendship, greed and loyalty are all called into question. The performance are strong across the board with such a young cast. Eisenberg standing out in the lead role of Zuckerberg. The score is phenomenal, Fincher knew what he wanted and he got it with Trent Reznor. His style of music perfectly matches the film with the technology it's bringing to the forefront.

I wouldn't call this the film of the decade, but it is good enough to be in the high ranks of Fincher's best work and one of the best works this year. For a film that is simply people talking, it feels natural and goes at a breakneck speed. I highly recommend The Social Network.

Good review is good.

Yeah man. Eisenberg was just fantastic. And hella cool.

Yes. I love how he remixed the Greig track during the boat race sequence.

===

Repost (with additions):

I just saw it. Now I finally get what they mean with the Rashomon comparison but it only refers to the flashback framing, which... correct me if I'm wrong, is not really unique anymore and could have been said about many films.

Um... for me it was really good but never impressive per se. For the most part the cinematography and especially editing (save for the intercutting between the frame and the principle narrative [not new or noteworthy, but it worked well]) was middling for Fincher, but there was one (maybe two) sequences that were excellent (i.e. rowboat), albeit a little obvious... nearly to the point of cliche. Nevertheless, I did appreciate the way these moments fit into the film. The best part of the film are the characters. You really get attached to each one. That is except maybe Zuckerberg himself, who admittedly doesn't need a lot of sympathy or depth in order to be effective. There's a good deal of humor, sure, but the film is---especially for its goofy-sounding subject matter---very serious. Still... I wouldn't go as far as to call this the "seedy underbelly" of Facebook. Any of the unethical act supposedly committed by Zuckerberg are marginal and highly ambiguous to say the least. None of them, save one (i.e. Eduardo situation), are clear cut in their consequence on Facebook where credit is concerned.Reflecting back, I'm actually impressed that the film got me to care so much about a pretty tame set of dramas in relation to a product that I do not exactly revere. Similar to Zodiac, Fincher really expands on and amplifies on the audience-supposed idea of drama without coming to overblown melodrama. The explosion of tension at the finale is quite subdued, and everything left over from the principal narrative is re-channeled into the frame. There really is more than meets the eye to these sorts of entrepreneurial team-efforts, which, regardless of the specific context in relation to Facebook, this movie is really about. The three parts of a successful idea are almost too cleanly archetyped by the film's cast. There's the idea (the twins), there's the genius who does all the actual physical groundwork (Zuckerberg), and then there's the business end who makes the monetary investment (Eduardo vs. Sean).

Also, the film tries to "explain" Zuckerberg's motivations along with the rest of the cast as well as all internet entrepreneurs in general, which, too me, comes off as a bit silly, but within the context of the film it certainly works.Sean is suggested several times to be a paranoiac, the twins are suggested to be presumptive of their social status, and Zuckerberg is suggested to be motivated by loneliness. The final shot is surely something we all can relate to, regardless of whether or not that is true.

8/10 and yes, I raised my score (for now)

Re: The Social Network
 

“The Social Network” is by far one of the best movies I’ve seen this year. David Fincher knocked this one out of the park. Jesse Eisenberg was phenomenal and so is the new Spiderman, Andrew Garfield. Some of the cinematography is just flat out flawless. The regatta scene was glorious to say the least. What’s next for David Fincher? How about Jesse Eisenberg? His performance was absolutely perfect-I was doubting until I saw it. Trust me: go see this film. It is the fastest two-hour long film I have ever seen. And on top of that…http://www.imdb.com/news/ni4692644/. It dominates the Box Office. I'd give it a 4/5.

Re: The Social Network
 

I'll definitely give this a go, Fincher hasn't let me down in a while.

Re: The Social Network
 

What a script! Lightning fast nerd speak FTW

Re: The Social Network
 

Mark my word, my fellow movie buffs, this movie is going home with the Academy Award for Best Picture come Oscar night! David Fincher is winning his long deserved Best Director Oscar as well!

If Clint Eastwood reads this, he'll make 2 films before the year ends just to be a strong contender.

Re: The Social Network
 

Still haven't caught this (my schedule the other night worked better with The Town, so I saw that), but I'm definitely going to at some point soon. Sounds right up my alley.

Re: The Social Network
 

So give us the Blurb: The Town: How much? !!

Re: The Social Network
 

I heard a radio show this morning where someone who knew Zuckerberg claimed that he was really NOTHING like he was depicted in the film. He said that Zuckerberg was basically the LEAST angry person he ever met. However, that doesn't necessarily preclude the certain moments of overheating that took place in the hearings.

He also said that, while the film tries to create a narrative surrounding the notion that Zuckerberg's motivations are largely--if not solely--motivated by his ex-girlfriend, in reality, Zuckerberg just started a relationship immediately previous to his work on TheFacebook.

The rest of the stuff about the twins, Sean, and Eduardo seems to be generally accurate.

Just FYI. I find this totally irrelevant to the film. No one REALLY knows what motivated Zuckerberg, so whatever.

Re: The Social Network
 

Saw this last night. This is one very good movie. Review forthcoming.

So i've got no choice but to see it now, haven't I? Not heard a single bad word. I hope you can dislike Facebook and stil admire the film.

Re: The Social Network
 

I don't think the reality of Facebook will have any affect on what you think of the film.

Re: The Social Network
 

I am 27. Same age as this guy Zuckerberg. I havent seen this movie. Howver going by the reviews you guys have given it will definitely make sure I watch it the first opportunity i get.

Just one question though. Zuckerberg maybe a millionaire but isnt it sad that at this age already a movie is being made on him that too in not too good a light. After all the dude has so much of his life in front of him. What say?

Here's my review of The Social Network, which I saw on Wednesday night. Very enjoyable, extremely well-crafted. Still chuckling over some of the lines, too.

It's clearly going to be the defining thing in his life, so I don't think his age really matters in this context. He's the youngest billionaire ever, so it stands to reason he'd be among the youngest people to have a fairly critical film made about him, too. It's a reflection of his success, fair or not, and not some kind of terrible harbinger given that it happened when he was 27.

I haven't seen the movie as yet either, however it certainly is a relevant story, which may indeed by the first chapter in a bio- movie adaptation.

Think of it this way. The movie Walk the Line traces the Johnny Cash story from his origins as a child up to his legendary performance at Folsom Prison. Theres a whole other movie that could be made on the rest of his life that may well be shot, as Joaquin Pheonix and Reese Witherspoon age.

Its done in fictional films, Chinatown and the Two Jakes; the last picture show and texasville, were separated by 15 years.

Who knows, maybe this is just the beginning.

Re: The Social Network
 

does anyone else think Jesse Eisenberg totally looks like John McClane? [the mofo member, not the Diehard character].

Re: The Social Network
 

Lil' bit.

Re: The Social Network
 

I wander what people will think in a couple of years when facebook dies and something new arrives. To help think about if myspace made a movie before this one. I think it will be a forgetful film, but it will go into internet history.

Re: The Social Network
 

The film doesn't rely on the future success of Facebook. Zuckerbergs rise to riches happened, that isn't going to change.

Re: The Social Network
 

Yeah, Fiscal's right; I dunno what you're talking about. I'm guessing you didn't see the movie, because Facebook didn't "make" it; it's just a movie about the tumultuous founding of Facebook. It's a business and legal drama more than anything else. Replace Facebook with any other company and it works about as well.

Re: The Social Network
 

I'm talking about the whole idea of making a movie about a website. Like if they made a movie about the nostalgia critic, or this site even. In the future of how people saw the influence of a website can generate enough success. I understand what the movie is trying to do, tell the story of how it became of what it is, less on the site itself. But if no one knew what facebook was, I'm sure they wouldn't think of making a movie.

This:

----

Everyone DOES know what facebook is, so why the hypothetical?

Re: The Social Network
 

Microsoft has been around longer than Facebook & Pirates of Silicon Valley was just a TV Movie.
Facebook's success is one of the reason the movie happened, but also because it was a good story to tell.

Re: The Social Network
 

I guess what he/she is saying is that it might seem a little odd in a couple of decades if/when people don't really know what Facebook is any more, which I can kinda see. But the main thing, to me, is that the nature of Facebook is rather incidental, and that the haggling over a company (and not this specific company) is the important thing, and what gives the story thrust. But if Puddin's just saying that it might seem a little dated in 20 years, I guess that's plausible. I don't think the movie will become bad as a result, however.

I was being hypothetical because I was asking a question. What would people think in the future about the movie?

I think when facebook dies the movie would be forgetful, but it was popular at the time. If I say "Facebook" what is the first thing that pop's inside your head? Is it the website or the movie?

What yoda said, I don't think the movie will be bad, just overlooked.

I gotcha now, I thought you were saying something along the lines of "What if facebook wasn't popular, I bet there wouldnt be a movie". I'm tracking now, forgive me.

I doubt Facebook itself will ever really be forgotten, Facebook is wildly successful, just check out the statistics. It's monumental really.

Re: The Social Network
 

Yea I don't see it dieing soon, but you never know whats going to come up next. I think it was genius to capitalize on the success. 500 million active users and 700 billion minutes per month on Facebook... well I have to say this man is filthy rich.

Re: The Social Network
 

I think of the website, not the film. The site is genius is a way (not mofo genius, but close), making connecting to others so much easier.

I was never a fan of MySpace.

Re: The Social Network
 

Hollywoods running out of ideas..
I Thought this movie was going to be ****.
it was really good.

such a good movie

Re: The Social Network
 

There's been a lot of hype about this movie lately & it's been making me want to see this movie, I think it sounds really interesting.

Re: The Social Network
 

I think the movie was fine. Jesse Eisenberg did a great job.

To me, the character Zuckerberg did not come off as a bad person. Only a person, who believed in what he did. He had an idea and wanted to protect it. No matter what. You can judge that as a bad thing only if the motives for it were immoral.

The character had some distinct antisocial habbits in his behaviour, yet those all are just who he is. Noone has the right to judge or criticize other's behaviour, as long as it does no harm to anyone. Sure, he did some immoral things which obviously affected other people, but everyone has their weak moments. It makes us human. And clearly he regretted making people feel bad.

This movie´s message was roughly: "Is this where we've come?". What if a muse for a great song started demanding compensation. Think about it..

"Zuckerbergs" motives were clearly pure and honest: to make a billion dollars. (note the sarcasm)
Reasons for not co-operating with other people were that he felt he was being used or that the "magical idea", facebook was being used for selfish means (just forget the thing about the billion dollars).

A fictional story about an idealist, who only wanted <b>the</b> idea to get big, not in cash but in enormous diffusion.

A nice sympathy growing sidekick was that in the middle of everything he was still obsessed with a girl he had a crush on.

over and out.

This is not showed in the film, he only feels bad about what people think of him... That's why he tries to justify himself saying he isn't a bad person.

If he has done immoral things to others as you say, then why why steal the right of criticism... everyone has the right to criticise something or someone that affects them.

I have no idea what you mean by this.

What sarcasm? He felt he was being used? I don't remember seeing this.

Re: The Social Network
 

Great movie, loved it..

Can't wait to see it again, Fincher is so damn talented.

Saw this last night and had a few thoughts. I thought Jesse Eisenberg played a better part in Zombieland. Didn't really think much of the rest of the cast. Justin Timberlake was pretty good in a limited role.

As for the actual thrust of the film, eh, it was alright I guess. I don't know if I even care if Zuckerburg is a "bad guy" or if he's just a common thief. I sort of lean towards the latter by what was in the film. But, films can be easily construed to anyone's cause and for all I know, the Winklevoss twins financed the film with the rather large settlement they received from Zuckerburg just to get their side of the story out.

My question is, is it an important story? No, not really. It's nothing new to me to see or hear about somebody taking another persons idea and making it their own and even profiting greatly from it. In fact, it's a mainstay in humanity's way of life.

As for Fincher and the work he's done here, I'd say it rates in the lower half of his repertoire and as one poster said I think there's a very good chance that this film gets utterly forgotten in several years time. That being said though, now that there's ten Best Picture noms every year, it wouldn't surprise me to see it get a nod. I think that would be a shame, but whatever, the Oscars seem to be on a mission to try to recognize mediocrity instead of the truly great and I guess that's their call. Definitely agree with the Adapted screenplay nod that TUS was talking about too.

So, in short. The Social Network .

The Social Network
 

yesterday i saw a preview here in Italy of "The Social Netwotk". I think that D.Fincher succeeded in making a potentially commonplace film in a movie absolutely non-trivial..
A security : Aaron Sorkin,one of the best living writers (the West Wings).
The film does not warrant anyone, is not popular and is not consoling.Is not Facebook. Is Facebook filtered by sorkinfincheriano's eye, so indifferent and modern.
Is an action that involves money, friendship, betrayal, invention, genius, ideas for future and more, all in front of a PC screen. I mean us.

Sorry for my English :(

Re: The Social Network
 

Oh, Powdered Water, I want you to know I'll powder your water anytime. We are on the same level in regards to this movie -- thank god -- I was getting sick of all of the praise I was reading.

Re: The Social Network
 

I know, right?

Re: The Social Network
 

I thought it was meh.

A rep point for that 'meh'! :up::up::up:

Keep 'em comin', Social Network haters! Show 'em who's boss!

Re: The Social Network
 

I actually agree with a reviewer who said that the film defines the decade. When I think of the 70's I think of Dazed and Confused, when I think of this current decade (or the one the just passed to be technical) I think The Social Network really grabbed the essence.

I can see how not everyone loves it though.

Re: The Social Network
 

I can see how it represents modern time and the last decade. I still don't like it, though.

Re: The Social Network
 

I don't exactly like modern time or the last decade either.

Re: The Social Network
 

I thought the movie was gonna go somewhere at first. When it begins with Mark and his girlfriend breaking up, I was liking it. It gradually got dull. It picked up at the end, and then like a miracle, it ended earlier than I expected. I will tell you, though, that I watched this movie over a succession of several days - I finally finished it tonight. But that's a bad sign with me when I can't finish the movie in one sitting.

I can see how The Social Network paints a picture of modern time, but honestly, it's really only a portion of it, and not a well cooked portion, in my opinion. If people really feel this movie defines the decade... we've been living in a sad decade.

Facebook is just a phonebook with Stalker Heaven thrown in. I applaud Mark Zuckerberg's idea, but was it really the first of its kind? I don't think so. I like Facebook and yet Facebook also creeps me out. The fact that everyone's on there... the fact that everyone has a virtual home... weirds me out even though I do it, too. Perhaps this is one of the reasons for the many dark moods I have about this movie, but I don't think that's all. I really do think it was just boring. What were the funny lines that everyone kept chuckling about?

I have my own personal gay reasons for not caring much about this movie, too, I must add. Quite frankly, I don't relate or feel too much for guys chasing women. I can overlook this in a lot of stuff, but this movie, when it tries to humanize itself away from the legal drivel, goes back to the geeky boys and the rich party boys just getting laid. This is one of the reasons Justin Timberlake really shines in this movie -- he's able to pull off the sexy (SexyBack) party boy thing. Jesse Einsenberg and Andrew Garfield can't do it, especially Jesse Eisenberg. I feel that Jesse Eisenberg was trying too hard in this role. He made Mark Zuckerberg seem too alien, too distant. I don't recall video footage of the real Mark Zuckerberg, but I have seen pictures, and he seems more alive than Jesse Eisenberg's portrayal. Eisenberg is really... lost in it, lost in himself. Yappy. And his girl problems don't interest me. He's not sexy. Could he have been shown sexier? Yes, but it did not happen. The naughtiest moment occurs when he and his friend get laid by those girls in the bathroom stalls. You know, it kinda disgusts me, though, how non-committed everyone was with relationships. I suppose that's another sign of our times.

What a dark movie. Dismal. Unsatisfying. I'm sorry, I do not always applaud these things, especially when the Best Picture award might be given to it. I think it should have evoked more feelings out of me than boredom.

A lot of films winning Best Picture have been this way for me, though. The Hurt Locker didn't thrill me, either. I am confused by its win. A bunch of others don't grab me. I would say they tend to pick movies that make you think --- the problem is, my mind's always thinking about other stuff (Jake Gyllenhaal, for example.) They used to pick movies that make you feel, but not in awhile. That's a shame. *shrugs* I don't just need to think about how excellent of a job a movie did by showcasing things that say, "this is how the last decade played out." I don't need political movies or movies with messages about society and the way things are running. Current issues, stuff like that. I dunno, I live for the future, for the eternal, which I find through stuff that moves my soul and expands my mind. I don't need to always feel fresh and up to date, with it, hip, in touch. I like feeling satisfied, honest, classic, sexy, flashy, inspiring, deep, powerful.

Re: The Social Network
 

Glad to see I'm not the only one that didn't think this was such a great film. Here's what I had to say in my "My Movie Thoughts" thread:

Re: The Social Network
 

I'm glad that so many people are glad that they agree, but that still has nothing to do with how good or entertaining the film is. Apparently, certain people are incapable of being entertained by smart dialogue, fast-paced visuals, and deep (yes, DEEP) stories about the current state of the world, whether they involve Mammon or not. Aside from my e-mail account, I have absolutely no "Social Network" except for talking to my family the old-fashioned way [usually on a landline or in person (OMG!)]. I find it unusual that my own old-fashioned family thought this suckin' movie was great, especially compared to what else is being released.

*cough* MoFos *cough*

Also, I'm having trouble reading your final sentence. Are you saying it "sucked" and only being sarcastic ironic in your previous sentence about people being "incapable"?

I should probably just look it up in your movie tabs, shouldn't I?

===

As for the recent criticisms rejecting the "timeliness" of the film, I just think the label has a large part to do with the fact that the internet and social networking is pretty much one of the---if not the---most prominent cultural phenomenons of the 00s. And of course you are all correct that the story is a primordial one and not "new". But that's really the point of the film: it carries that primordial "truth" through its core while projecting the real elements of our contemporary culture onto it.

I mean it's precisely this fact that the formal narrative communicates, as PW put it, "a mainstay in humanity's way of life" that it is new and exciting, because it situates that "mainstay" into our culture.

Take a look at this film perhaps alongside Oliver Stone's World Trade Center where the political story is largely ignored in favor of focus on the firefighters. This film, I would say, is the mainstay. Why? Because it already abstracts the situation into something primordial---two people struggling to survive, help on the way. So in this way, Stone makes 9/11 just like any other day where people struggle to survive---which may or may not have been way he wanted to show. Nevertheless you lose a certain "timeliness" to the film. It could have been made at any time.

But I don't think The Social Network does this same kind of thing. I think it holds a very special meaning right now and only right now because Facebook is so hot right now and Zuckerberg is all over the news, etc. It doesn't "regress" into a primordial abstraction of the events but clearly puts the real elements of the culture out there, counting on us to recognize and respond to them.

So no it's not new but it is important because it can only mean as much as it means right now at the end of the 00s.

This a better social network.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MyyXU6DR2w

Re: The Social Network
 

Well, the first post I put up pimped MovieForums, but it self-destructed a la Mission Impossible and that got lost in the repost. As far as misinterpreting me, I'm pretty good at saying what I mean, even when I forget to fix my screwed-up posts, so I hope that all you have to do is reread that last post.

I guess I need to give this thing a second viewing just to see some of the stuff you're talking about (in particular, the great dialogue.) It's still not a movie that I personally loved. I can't help that. I feel that I must express how I truly feel about it. I'm not moved by it on a level regarding what it says about the state of the world. What exactly are you guys seeing that I'm missing? I said how I think the movie would have worked more for me and still reflected our current culture -- if they had shown Facebook from the perspective of its users and not its creators. That's basically what I was trying to convey in my quick little review that nobody positive repped when I discuss the girlfriend who's enraged about Eduardo's relationship status still being "single."

Movies that deal with the creation of things, how stuff started and came about just bore me. They bore me even more when lawyers enter the picture and it becomes a movie about a legal struggle. I hate courtroom dramas (though, this didn't take place in a courtroom - what would you call that place? Some office.) But I particularly was bored with all of the trouble Facebook's creation caused. Do I see an old plot device going on with the feuding co-creators? Yes, and that's not bad. But, sorry, I yawned through most of it. In my opinion, they handled the subject matter wrong and created a movie that was heavy on the talk, low on the walk. It went nowhere. And if Facebook is such a magical, wonderful thing, why did we get a dark story about the dicks in charge of it? I'm not impressed by how they commented on our world. It was bleak and putrid. Even the movie seemed to be bathed in too much of a sickly green color. It was Fight Club Jr. but without any happiness and gloss.

I think it has a good chance of not winning the Best Picture award. I really do. I'm predicting an upset. If I'm wrong, I might just never watch the Academy Awards show again.

Like Howard Hughes said about Howard Cossell..."Ooh, he's smart!"

Re: The Social Network
 

It won't be an upset if The Social Network wins anymore. It looks like the MOMO is with The King's Speech, which sounds too boring to watch. So the king had a stammer and needed a vocal coach. Big deal. But I'm in for a movie about his Nazi loving brother Ed and his nympho American wife

I have no idea what will win. The only movies I've seen so far are The Social Network and Inception. I voted for Black Swan, which I need to go see, because I think it looks interesting and it seems to have caught on to people through the media. I look for what resonates with everybody. It could be Toy Story 3 that wins this year. I know The Social Network has the Facebook thing going for it, but I do think my polar opposite view of the movie could swing the award to something else. Not saying I'll cause the upset, but I do think what I've said is there. Well, I could be the cause of the upset. If it doesn't win Best Picture, it's my fault, okay? I will take the blame.

Re: The Social Network
 

The Social Network is currently an underdog for Best Picture. Sexy, I read your post and I understand what you're saying but it's so alien from the way in which I intake, process and enjoy films, that I'm not sure what else I can say about it. In this case, you and I are 180 degrees apart.

I will tell you -- I can have difficulty processing movies. I know it's totally my own fault for why I can't see it the way you do. I have been having a lot of trouble enjoying movies lately. I mean, it took days for me to finish The Social Network. There have been a few movies I've enjoyed the past few months, but I don't currently have a strong "thing" with movies right now, even though I still like to buy them and watch when I can. I never go to the theatre anymore. I'm waiting anxiously for next week when Love and Other Drugs comes out because I didn't bother to see it when it was playing. I dunno if it's that I'm getting older or I'm depressed and lonely or what, but movies haven't been capturing me much lately. Sometimes I don't know what I'm doing here at Movie Forums. I have a lot of catching up to do in regards to movies - there's still a lot of great films I haven't seen - but it's getting harder to get lost in them.

Re: The Social Network
 

Look, I get it. You come home from a long day at work. The last thing you want to sit through is something dreary and vague. The last thing you want to listen to is something experimental and challenging. The last thing you want to read is something abstract and garrulous.

The trick is to, as you say, get lost in the difficult---to let it sweep over you, to bask in the confusion itself.

Not that The Social Network even requires this strategy. It is fairly direct, I feel.

But, you know, it's not so good to start and stop films over a period of... days. A film as a work exists in a certain, set time. At least that's what I believe most film artists would like to preserve. Stopping and starting disturbs that holism, which might very well disturb your perception of the film.

Re: The Social Network
 

Well, what you're doing here at Movie Forums is hanging with what friends you feel closest to, and I hope I'm one of them. Watching movies is not something in which people are blamed for their feelings and opinions. Your feelings are just as real as you just explained, and everybody who reads that will understand. And just because I'm a hardass who likes The Social Network doesn't mean that I'm correct about it. It just means that it's one of the few movies I've seen recently which actually gets me excited about the future of movies. Hell, the film could have been about the invention of the TinkerToy, but if that "untold" story was presented so cinematically to me, I'd still say that it was a significant statement about the 1910s, at least if I actually saw it in the film. :cool:

Re: The Social Network
 

The sad thing is The Social Network is only 120 minutes long. How am I gonna get through the 234 minute long Dances with Wolves Blu-ray that's been sitting on my shelf?

Re: The Social Network
 

Maybe you should rewatch some of your most-beloved films or even just parts of those films, so that you can feel better about the moviewatching experience before you attack something which will probably feel like a trial. Either that, or hook up with a good friend who wants to hang out and watch a good movie.

This reminds me. Wasn't there a recent film about the invention of windshield wipers with the ideology as The Social Network? Not to mention the perhaps countless predecessors to even this film.

Honestly, I feel like there are two kinds of films surrounding this sort of subject matter and they are basically distinguished by a radical pessimism or optimism.

The thing is, I don't feel like The Social Network fits in the former category as well as some would like. Fincher definitely tries to cast Zuckerberg's motives as being far more mysterious than a pure, brutal individualism. The same goes for Timberlake's character.

Perhaps this is new?

Maybe get a piece of paper and check off its similarities with Avatar.

Re: The Social Network
 

The invention of the Tinker Toy, I'm in for that if the inventor had a nympho wife.

Let it sit there forever. It is a snooze.

I would like to see a movie about the invention of the Post-it. And they must include the legal struggles surrounding it. And the prurient driving force for me would be: how much money did everybody get?

Surprisingly I agree he wasn't that bad... Timberlake.

Eisenberg has always irked me. He's one of those actors like Matt Damon, or that Juno Hard Candy girl who I just do not like watching on screen for whatever reasons. It's not a question of any ability or lack of ability they have, it's just them and their persona. I did enjoy hating him in The Squid and the Whale and with a supporting part, it worked because he didn't carry the film. Zombieland was a mess of a film with some great scenes and great ideas horribly tied together, which at 88 has barely enough substance to make a movie.

Post it notes aren't sexy. Not sexy like it should be.

Re: The Social Network
 

still havent seen it but i get an idea from this to pretty say the movie was good

g8 movie

Re: The Social Network
 

The Social Network is such a good movie in terms of capturing the online social media networking phenomenons of our era. Found it unbelievably interesting to get at least a glimpse into the story behind the Facebook founding.

Re: The Social Network
 

Mark Zuckerberg should be very proud of the performance and effort by Jesse Eisenberg. He was fantastic.

Saw it the first time in the theater, was impressed by the direction, the dialogue, the cinematography, the acting, the screenplay, and the score. Textbook example of how to craft a movie. I was let down by the ending, however, which in turn has ruined the movie for me. This film, as impeccably crafted as it was, was as emotionally and ethically repulsive as the Joker.

Initially, the ending felt empty. An emotional thrill ride that ends with a hollow and vacuous note. But after seeing it the 2nd time on DVD and listening to David Fincher's own testimony as to the morality of the film, I realized that the main character (in Jesse Eisenberg's performance) and the supporting character of Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake) shape the filthy and valueless spirit of this film. David Fincher meant to do this and agrees with everything the "protagonist" does.

The Social Network purports that the current generation (which happens to be mine) shapes a brand of "new ethics" realized by dishonest representation, theft, betrayal, narcissism, jealousy, and pride that values "getting there first at all costs" which ultimately glorifies bad business, and frankly, cold and calculating inhumanity.

Many give this film a bad review because it isn't historically accurate. But who really cares? Its a movie, not a history lesson and as far as I can see, doesn't parade around as if to tell the true origins of facebook. Aaron Sorkin and David Fincher both openly admit taking creative liberties. THIS ISN'T WHAT MAKES THIS FILM BAD. What makes this film bad are it's "new age" morals. Which in reality, aren't new age at all, they're just ethical garbage that we've seen before from evil characters.

During one scene, Sean Parker tells the actual story of the founder of Victoria's Secret, who quickly sold it for $5,000,000 and then subsequently committed suicide after it was valued at over $500,000,000 a couple years later. He seduces Zuckerberg with this fable convincing him of the dark and sadistic idea that big money ideas are rare and you have to take whatever steps necessary to be the richest of your peers and take revenge on those that dislike your condescending and narcissistic nature. As his girlfriend puts it in the opening scene, no one hates these guys because they're smart/successful. We hate these guys because they're absolute jerks.

If this film actually defines our new era, I'm fearful. No longer is a person successful when he matures morally or spiritually, or when he values principles above the material. No longer is a hero created from the positive and altruistic side of humanity. The hero is the self-centered billionaire with no friends and no redeeming qualities, the very people who used to get their "Come-upins" in our films. Thank you Social Network for teaching us that we can be ruthless, cold, and unlikeable individuals with no real consequences as long as the result of our being so is lucrative.

Re: The Social Network
 

I don't think the film tries to say that the younger generation is any more corrupt than all the other "younger generations" which came before and have all gone on to be the old guard. What I think it's telling us that with the technology which we have available now, it's much easier for people to "ruin" other people's lives or become rich while trampling on other people. It could have just as easily been about the Wall Street Meltdown. I think it's really about the use of technology and the freedom it allows one to "bend the rules", if any. We have always had people who take advantage of others and every new generaion is supposed to take us all to hell in a handbasket. I don't believe that is anything new and not what the film is about or even says.

So it shows us a kid who uses technology to bend the rules and take advantage of others...ok, so what does it have to say about that? That in the the end it really doesn't matter because you're a billionaire anyway.

Thank you David Fincher for such a meaningful addition to cinema

Re: The Social Network
 

It's happened before. This isn't the old days where all the "bad guys" had to be punished at the end of movies, no matter what the reality was. The movie doesn't try to tell you what to say or think about what happens. It just presents a story and leaves it up to you. It is a social satire in my opinion, just as The Graduate was. What are we supposed to say at the end of The Graduate? Who are the "good guys" and who are the "bad guys"? I know the film paints some characters as better than others. but it's still open to your own interpretation. I think the problem which many people have with The Social Network is that they have no one to root for. Well, I say, "Root for good movies."

ok, I agree with that ;-) somewhat. Although I don't like movies with nothing to say. At the end, I'm asking "what's the point."

BUT, David Fincher does actually have something to say here...and it's everything I talked about. Our heroes ARE Jesse Eisenberg's Mark Zuckerberg and Justin Timberlake's Sean Parker. To him, their moral delinquency is merely "aggressive business." And the kicker is that he assumes and asserts that this defines this new generation of entrepreneurs. What a waste...well made film...

Re: The Social Network
 

I have to disagree. Zuckerberg is not the hero, and the film is definitely not telling us that it was all worthwhile. It's telling us the exact opposite. Consider the very last shot:


I can't think of a clearer way for the film to show us that, even though he got what he wanted, he still isn't really happy. I don't know if this describes the man himself or not, but in the context of the film he isn't laughing all the way to the bank.

Re: The Social Network
 

Yeah, I agree movie-Zuckerberg comes off pretty clearly as a louse in Fincher's version. He's kind of a mock-tragic character, a shallow but highly talented person who rises to great heights at the expense of friendship and love. Seems pretty straightforward to me. There are parts that I liked and parts that I didn't about the dialog and story. On balance I thought it was okay, not great, having less to do with wanting character hooks to hang my sympathy (or hatred) on than feeling that the movie kept promising some insight or deeper meaning -- or at least something beyond a simplistic dramatization of classic character flaws -- without ever really delivering. Maybe I just listened to the hype a little too much, but basically I thought some of it was very entertaining and some of it wasn't.

Re: The Social Network
 

Hey eulian, serious question. I notice that The Dark Knight is one of your favorite films, and I like it plenty too. Doesn't that film bother you with what it says about human nature and how even the "good" can be so easily turned to the "bad"? Isn't the ending of that film extremely unpleasant if you take it too seriously? Or is it OK because it's not based on "real characters"?

And to lines, even with the unnecessary last line of dialogue, I still believe The Social Network to be the best-written film (with the best dialogue) of any film I can think of this "millenium" (HA!)

Nailed it.

Re: The Social Network
 

I sense that people here actually consider it a downside of the film that Zuckerberg is neither a hero nor a tragic hero in any classic sense.

Except that tragic heroes are bloated, stage-worthy, archetypes---not real people. The real Hamlet was probably mainly concerned with much more mundane things than Shakespeare's cosmic, divinely guided Hamlet was. The fact that Zuckerberg was essentially concerned with sex only attests to this human, all too human aspect.

It's also debatable whether Zuckerberg was "desperate" in the end. It seemed a consciously ironic move on his part, since he was throughout the film a consciously ironic person. For me, it was more of a reflective admittance of his true motivations.

Re: The Social Network
 

I actually think that both Yoda's and planet's interpretations are both valid and therefore the film is very strong in trying to keep an even keel as far as not creating good guys and bad guys. In the real world, most people aren't "good" or bad"; they just are. If anything, the ending brings the film full circle to what happened at the beginning.

Nice analysis, and I arrived at that point too. But the lawyer mentions how this is just a "speed bump." Almost as if it's a minor hiccup, before and after he laughs all the way the bank. And I would buy the girl thing too, but I just don't care much about her because she's in two scenes of the film and we're never told that he really loves or cares that much about here. You could gather, arguably, that he just wants to show off to her. In her exit scene, he asks if she knows what he's built. After he blows him off (like she SHOULD), he immediately tells Eduardo to expand, and specifically puts BU on the list (the school she attends).

That small ending isn't enough for me to really nail down a legitimate character arc or catharsis. So, I agree with you Planet News. The ending is debatable.


Also, I LOVE Dark Knight!!!! But it is VERY different from this film. Showing how easily a good person turns bad is ok. I mean, look what happens to him at the end. His fall from grace in anything but glorified, it's condemned. It's Batman's sense of morality that the film is based on, his sense of right and wrong that drives the heart of the screenplay. Ultimately TDK is about the fight of good vs evil, its classic. It puts a modern spin on it, but the core is there. Social Network is about evil vs evil lol

The struggle is him FIGHTING the joker, not allowing him to seduce him and getting rich with him, like Mark does (as portrayed by Jesse Eisenberg).

A bit, yeah. But while the girl doesn't show up in many scenes, I think it's pretty clear she's the driving force of all that he does. The fact that the film begins with their breakup and ends with him pining for her underlines this pretty emphatically. If he doesn't really love her (and you can make a good case that the character's notion of love is pretty juvenile and underdeveloped), then he certainly wants what she represents to him, which is acceptance.

It's true that the lawyer says it's just a speedbump, but it's a speedbump on the way to financial success, not personal fulfillment. The entire film is about people who can't distinguish between the two, I think.

I actually agree that he might just want to show off to her, but I think that fits in perfectly with the idea that he's not happy. If someone wanted to contact an ex just to shove something in their face, I'd probably think that they were unhappy, petty, and probably not entirely over them.

Interestingly enough, I had a very similar conversation with my dad a month or two ago. He didn't particularly love the film because he, too, didn't feel the movie was really punishing or condemning Zuckerberg, so you're not alone in wondering about that. It's pretty clear on my side of the equtation, but I admit that the movie can be pretty subtle about it, and obviously there's a lot to wade through.


Love that you guys are talking about this; I'm just finishing up an essay about this very topic. It's been 90% done for, literally, about 9 months now, but I think it'll go up soon.

Very nice points. I agree. I listened to the DVD commentary from David Fincher. He doesn't love her, so it was to show off which fits in nicely with the desire for acceptance, like the Final Clubs...

Altho distinguishing between financial success and personal fulfillment sounds pretty darn good. I wish this movie would've been about it lol

Re: The Social Network
 

Favorite movie of all time, and I mean that hahah

Re: The Social Network
 

Zuckerberg comes off like an ass in this movie

Yes, then I found out that the movie was based on a book written from Eduardo Saverin's perspective, Accidental Billionaires, casting an undeserved favorable light on him...right down to casting the innocent looking Andrew Garfield to play his part.

Now I really hate the movie. Good article here about some of his backward dealings. businessinsider.com/facebook-movie-zuckerberg-ims

In no way do I think Zuckerberg is an angel (after all, he he did start facebook) but to me the movie was borderline slander/character assassination and not a balanced biopic at all.

All that aside, from a storytelling perspective they tried too hard to make it moody and dark. Characters had no range, you knew exactly who everyone was within minutes of being introduced to them; jocks, nerds, party girl, nice guy etc. And to that point, in 2010 hollywood still has this idea that programmers/developers/nerds ('nerds' even the word is so 80's) in general are little conniving hobbits sitting around dark rooms plotting some sort scheme to take advantage of 99% of the population who are clearly mentally handicapped. It was just silly to say the least.

Don't shoot me.

Re: The Social Network
 

Bang!

Re: The Social Network
 

this was one hell of an awesome movie just loved watching it

Re: The Social Network
 

I did not watch it yet,but what can be interesting about Facebook? Is that a documentary or a movie?

Re: The Social Network
 

It's a movie based on real events.

And it's not "about Facebook" in a meaningful sense, it's about its creation and the fighting that went on over it. It's not 2 hours of people checking out each other's Walls or something.

It's really, really silly when people try to dismiss The Social Network with statements like this. If you want to find out what's supposed to be interesting about the company's history, watch the film.

And if there's a company with history interesting enough to be made into a good film, it's Facebook. Luckily, backed up with some great turns and brilliant direction from Fincher.

When are we going to see the Winklevoss spinoff?

I have not criticize a movie because i have not watched it yet...i was just asking.

Re: The Social Network
 

This isn't directed at anyone here personally and it isn't even about The Social Network specifically, but I would like to add a few thoughts on the observation I've made many times over the years about certain film watchers: I've noticed time and again that there are some people who just don't like movies with unlikeable main characters. They either cannot or choose not to distinguish between disliking a character and disliking a film.

It baffles me. There are plenty of movies I enjoy that have main characters that are despicable or even downright evil. I find the idea of only watching characters who are nice or "good at heart" or at least redeemable in some sense to be totally boring. To me, it would be like only being able to eat vanilla ice cream and nothing else. Sure, I like ice cream but *blech*. I like a wide variety in films and I like to see all types of characters portrayed.

I enjoy likeable characters, yes, but the idea of disliking a movie because I disliked a character makes no sense to me. A-holes exist in real life, and I never understood some people's inability to separate their dislike for the A-Hole from their appreciation for the film itself.

I think you are right. I have many examples of films where me and some friend of mine have had basically the same experience from watching a particular film. But while I thought it was a very good film (it moved me, I was shocked or upset - but because of the subject matter, not lack of filmmaking skills), the friend of mine hated it - just because it made him or her feel bad. Weird...

About The Social Network; I finally got around to see it the other night and I thought it was very good - very clever filmmaking. I really liked the idea of emphasizing the quirky sides of Mark Zuckerberg. Jesse Eisenberg is no pretty boy actor and I love the casting of him as Zuckerberg. This film is a good example of when the main character isn't exclusively likeable but actually quite a bit of an *******. It makes us, members of the human race, feel a bit better about ourselves, I suppose.