The Social Network Review

If your not in the loop about a small website called "Facebook" then just stop reading this review right now. Really? Really? Are you still shaking your head with a highlighted question mark above flashing off and on. Quit scratching your chin and seriously get a life.  Get connected to one if not the biggest social networks, no pun intended, known as Facebook. Odds are most of your friends and relatives already have. That is unless you are a true rebel against society and well, that is another blog.

This movie follows the beginnings of Facebook from the first conceptual idea to the million dollar business that it is today. The film stars Jesse Eisenberg as Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg. Mark is a Harvard student and what most of us would call a "computer nerd". He is brilliant and most of the friends that he surrounds himself with are not to shabby either. After a break up with his girlfriend he designs a local campus website that would allow students to rate other students and make fun of them. He does this in a couple of hours, drunk, not too mention bypasses Harvard internet security to boot. There is a lot more computer jargon that I am not mentioning but in the end he is able to break barriers like none before and is not only recognized for it but punished by the college.

It is only when he is approached by 2 twin brothers of a fraternity that he would never be able to pledge in that this idea of what will be Facebook begins to come into fruition. The film chronicles the next few years and the progression of Facebook to many U.S. college campuses to eventually everyones computer in the world. It is not an easy road as friends becomes enemies and outside influences nearly destroy the dreams of Mark. The film is set in today with mostly looking back at his life the past 10 years. Needless to say he is being sued by his former best friend and the fraternity brothers that came to him with a similar idea in the first place.

The film, in the end leaves it up to you to decide what you really think about the man that created Facebook. Did he steal other peoples ideas?  How original is he?  I think he is a brilliant guy that is not very smart in many ways. That is my ultimate conclusion of this film. I think there are many people in life that are just like him and a lot of them fall into traps and dangers because they don't seem to have the "street smarts" or common sense to watch out for those things. He wanted to create something, a club, that anyone could get into and still be somewhat exclusive.  He could not and would not be excepted into those "clubs" that he longed to be in before.  That doesn't matter anymore now does it?  He is one of the richest people in the world.

The film is directed by David Fincher. He has directed such films as "7, Zodiac, Panic Room and Fight Club". Justin Timberlake also stars and seems to be fitting more and more into his acting shoes in every film he is in. Is this a good film? It is an interesting film and worth a watch. Would I see it in the theater? Probably not but it is worth renting and not a waste of 2 hours watching it. Is it everything that everyone has been bragging about. I really didn't think so. Sorry folks. 2 out of 4 pizzzzas!