THE SOCIAL NETWORK

The phenomena known as Facebook started as a germ of an idea that Mark Zuckerberg had when he wanted some payback after being dumped by his girlfriend.  He exacted his revenge not just on her but all the woman undergrads at Harvard when he set up a computer program that encouraged his fellow students to rate the girls for their beauty.  It was totally sexist and very illegal but it was so popular with visitors to the site that it actually crashed the Harvard servers.   Peaked by his success he developed a more mundane networking site called The Harvard Connection, which he eventually grew into Facebook.

This is a fascinating account of an unlikely socially inept prodigy who had an uncanny knack and the intuition to create a winning system that would impact all our lives.  The fact that others like fellow students the WASP Aryan Winklevosses twins claimed credit for the idea adds a frisson to a story where success can be envied and coveted, and shared too by the likes of Sean Parker who founded Napster, once he got his hands on Mark and his fledging Facebook.

The whole irony of this unpopular geek with barely one friend creating this unprecedented social quasi-revolution made it a fascinating story to tell, but the fact that it is told so well is thanks to the steady hand of inspired director David Fincher ( ‘Zodiac’, ‘Fight Club’ and Oscar nominated for ‘Benjamin Button’)  and a brilliant script by Aaron Sorkin (multi Emmy Awards for ‘The West Wing’)   They have a superb cast to make it that more special led by Jesse Eisenberg who is astonishing as Mark Zuckerberg and will undoubtedly get an Oscar nomination, Andrew Garfield the Brit actor as Edward (Mark’s only friend) who after this and his next movie when he will play Spiderman will be a major star, and Justin Timberlake as Sean Parker …who knew he could act.

This is unquestionably one of THE best movies of 2010 even for someone like me who is known as a rabid Anti-Facebooker (or is it the Anti-Christ?).  I would just add my usual words of caution.  Facebook is intended to enhance one’s life, NOT be it.