The Social Network

As the film The Social Network opens we see Mark Zuckerberg talking to his girlfriend Erica (Rooney Mara, the new Lisbeth Salander in the U.S. versions of the Stieg Larsson trilogy) and we soon learn that he is exhausting to talk to. It seems that he thinks way faster than everybody else and he has to wait for everybody else to catch up. Of course in a regular conversation with a beautiful girl this probably won't get you any points for a stimulating evening as he soon learns. He runs back to his room at Harvard and starts what eventually, with some help from his one true friend Eduardo (Andrew Garfield, the new Spiderman!), who has the algorithim and the cash, to start the worldwide phenomenon that is Facebook. The movie is basically about the lawsuits that were brought to him from the Winklevoss twins who say he stole their idea for a Harvard social networking site and from his best friend Eduardo who says he shut him out of the Facebook company. The movie shows how two friends grew so far apart. There are quite a few scenes in the lawyer's offices where the lawsuits are taking place and it is there where the best lines come in the movie. The lawyers are expecting to intimidate this young kid but in the long run this kid knows more about their profession that they do. The four main characters in this movie have done some amazing work here. Jesse Eisenberg, fresh off his turn in Zombieland was great as Mr. Zuckerberg as well as Andrew Garfield as Eduardo. After just seeing him in the first movie of the Red Riding trilogy he is very good here. Also Armie Hammer Jr. is twice as good since he has to play both of the Winklevoss twins. And we can't forget Justin Timberlake as the Napster creator Sean Parker who stirs up trouble when he arrives on the scene. Excellent direction by David Fincher with a great score by Trent Reznor who may get an Academy Award for his music for the film. A film about a guy who just wants to fit in and get the girl because it's always about getting the girl isn't it? You can tell this film is made by some talented people. Highly recommended.