Cole, The Social Network

I was not excited, to say the least, when I was forced to see The Social Network the first time, outside of class. I didn’t see any luring qualities of a film about Facebook, something seemingly so mundane and common in our society today. Almost immediately though, the movie illustrates the quirky and compelling character that is Mark Zuckerburg, played by Jesse Eisenberg. The rest of the movie consistently shows Zuckerburg as this sarcastic and intelligent student who, often, lets those qualities get in the way of his relationships with others. The movie cuts from the past to present day, and even jumps around from the two different lawsuits in a way that only amplifies and validates the tension felt between Zuckerburg and those suing him. This simple yet effective tactic also compliments the young actors of the film. Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield (Zuckerburg’s best friend and co founder Eduardo Saverin),and Archie Hammer (plays both Winklevoss twins who sue Zuckerberg for idea theft) brilliantly make a deposition worth watching. Each actor provides an interesting character that entices the audience to be “on their side” so to speak. Throughout the movie, it seems as though we are to feel sympathy for Zuckerberg, but the supporting actors give viable reason through their performances that they are in fact the “victim” of Zuckerberg’s “scheme”. Overall, the fresh new talents of Hollywood, as well as the talents of director David Fincher and screenwriter Aaron Sorkin, have succeeded in making the seemingly boring story of Facebook an interesting chronicle of how the world-wide sensation came to be where it is today.