Today, 20 years ago, Mark Zuckerberg registered thefacebook.com
Synopsis
"The Social Network" is a film that dramatizes the founding and tumultuous rise of Facebook. The story unfolds as Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg creates the social media platform in 2004. The film explores the legal battles and personal conflicts that ensue, depicting the complexities of friendship, ambition, and betrayal among Zuckerberg and his associates, including best friend Eduardo Saverin and the Winklevoss twins.
Why Today?
On January 11th, 2004, Mark Zuckerberg registered thefacebook.com—a pivotal point not only in real life, but also in the narrative of "The Social Network". In the film, the registration of the domain name on this specific date is used as compelling evidence that Zuckerberg stole the idea for Facebook from the Winklevoss twins.
Review
One of the best films of the 2010s. David Fincher's meticulous and exacting directorial style shines brilliantly, transforming what might have been a stodgy biopic into a riveting cinematic thrill ride. Aaron Sorkin's rapid and too-quick-to-be real dialogue is well served by this film, making it eminently quotable. Combined, they extract excellent performances and truly memorable line readings from the characters. The Trent Reznor/Atticus Ross score is fantastic and was certainly deserving of the Oscar for Best Score.
A primary complaint voiced by critics is that it takes liberties with reality, or otherwise embellishes the truth. I find this criticism tedious, especially when it comes to "based on a true story" movies. These things are meant to be stories, not documentaries. And in hindsight, over a decade after its release, one might argue that the film was perhaps too lenient on Facebook and Zuckerberg, considering what we know now (Zuck's IM transcript leaks, mockery of privacy and user's trust, Cambridge Analytica, election interference). However, I'll leave those discussions for the multitude of thinkpieces exploring the movie and Facebook's impact on society. In this context, let's appreciate the film as a cautionary tale and a compelling, perfectly executed story.