Film Review With Sam Larner

The Social Network (12A)

Facebook, everyone uses it, I’m currently using it now. It can be a useful aid and it can also hamper efforts to complete coursework and homework. But it’s just a website so surely there’s no room for the making of a good movie? Well that’s what I thought and that’s why I didn’t go and see until last week…

It’s directed by David Fincher (Se7en and Fight Club) so the omens were good for a smart, funny and cool film to emerge from what, at first, seems like a fairly underwhelming idea. I went to see this film late on Sunday in a cinema in the East End of London and it was absolutely packed despite the film being a few weeks old. I will admit that for 2 hours (a not inconsiderable running time) I never looked at my watch and I was fully engrossed in this amazing story of invention and deception. Jesse Eisenberg is fantastic as the geekchic Mark Zuckerberg, who gets a very hard time from the film makers throughout the film yet Eisenberg still manages to come across as cool and funny.

The film starts with Zuckerberg’s girlfriend breaking up with him after he seems more interesting in getting into prestigious Harvard sects rather than hanging around with her. He then goes back to his flat and begins a drunken blogging sesh which after some “input” from the Winkelvoss’ results in “The Facebook”. This is initially a small operation centring around Harvard but when they realise how popular it has become it starts to spread across America and ultimately the rest of the world. This growth is interspersed with present day scenes where Eisenberg is being sued by the Winkelvoss’ and his only friend from college Eduardo Saverin, who is amazingly cool in this film.

There is almost nothing wrong with The Social Network. Actually there is nothing wrong with The Social Network. It’s quirky, fun, exciting, ground breaking and it some parts moving. Especially the scenes where Saverin is increasingly marginalised from the facebook operations. Justin Timberlake actually shows his thespian talent that had been hidden in previous movies playing the thoroughly unlikeable Sean Parker. I would encourage everyone to go and see this movie, if you were discouraged like I was by the idea of a movie about Facebook then trust me, it is brilliant.

Further Info – The Social Network will be showing in Hebden Bridge Cinema between Friday 26^th and Monday 29^th of November.

Sam's Star Review: *****