4.5 stars out of 5
The Social Network, for all its internet currency and hype, is really a rather straightforward story of friendship, immaturity, naivete, and greed, complicated by intellectual property law. It is a riveting film thanks to the dense, pitch-perfect dialog scripted by Aaron Sorkin, creator of TV's "The West Wing." Jesse Eisenberg (Adventureland, Zombieland, Solitary Man) is ideal as computer genius and social misfit Mark Zuckerberg, prime founder of Facebook. He is well-supported by a very good Justin Timberlake as he embarks on an acting career, Rooney Mara (cast as Lisbeth Salander in the upcoming American versions of the Stieg Larsson "Millennium" trilogy), Andrew Garfield (the next Spiderman, the Red Riding trilogy), and studly real-life non-twins Armie Hammer (great-grandson of the industrialist) and Josh Pence. But the script is the true star of The Social Network, with two scenes standing out thanks to the snappy repartee - the priceless opening sequence, and a meeting between the twins and Harvard president Larry Summers. A terrific film.
