Today’s quick review: The Social Network. Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) becomes an overnight sensation when he launches The Facebook, an exclusive social networking site for his classmates. Mark is poised to become rich beyond his wildest dreams. But his abrasive personality and the siren call of a hotshot investor (Justin Timberlake) drive a wedge between Mark and Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield), his business partner and best friend.
The Social Network is a biographical drama about Mark Zuckerberg and the founding of Facebook. The Social Network splits its time between Facebook’s early days and the aftermath of its meteoric success: a pair of bitter lawsuits that serve as a framing device for the company’s origins. The film makes for an effective character study, highlighting the personal brilliance and failings of its lead. The story is backed by high all-around execution quality.
Fittingly, The Social Network’s greatest strength is the nuance it puts into its main character. The Social Network contrasts Zuckerberg’s coding acument and sharp business sense with his egotistical personality and rocky social life. Zuckerberg’s mistakes and selfish actions are undeniably his own, but he has a few redeeming qualities that make his character worth investing in. The balance between his two sides gives the movie much of its dramatic appeal.
Beyond being a fascinating character study, The Social Network has the quality of writing, acting, and direction it needs to succeed. The film spends its time well, switching between several different plot threads to keep the story moving forward. The Social Network never reaches the emotional peaks of other dramas, but it covers its subject matter from a variety of angles. Jesse Eisenberg and Andrew Garfield also complement each other well.
The Social Network is a well-constructed drama about entrepreneurial success and the price paid to achieve it. The film is well worth a watch for fans of biographical drama and anyone interested in its subject matter. Other viewers should approach with a little more caution. The Social Network’s high execution quality gives it broad appeal, but those who prefer more extravagant conflicts may find it to be tame by comparison.
For a flashier biographical drama from the same writer, try Molly’s Game. For a fictional tale of misapplied genius, try Good Will Hunting. For a heist-style crime drama about a brilliant college student, try 21.
7.7 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 to 7.5 for a nuanced take on interesting material.