Plot:
Framed by intercut legal depositions where Mark Zuckerberg faces simultaneous lawsuits—one from former friend Eduardo Saverin and another from twins Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss—the story traces Facebook’s contentious origins, beginning in 2003 when a Harvard sophomore Zuckerberg, after a breakup, creates “Facemash” using hacked student photos, crashing the network and earning probation. This attracts the Winklevoss twins and Divya Narendra, who recruit him for their dating site “Harvard Connection,” but Zuckerberg instead partners with Saverin, who funds “TheFacebook”; its rapid success angers the twins, who accuse him of stealing their idea, though Harvard President Larry Summers dismisses their complaint. As Facebook expands, Saverin’s girlfriend introduces Sean Parker, whose ambitious vision captivates Zuckerberg, leading to a Palo Alto move and Saverin’s resentment over Parker’s influence—culminating in Saverin freezing funds until Peter Thiel’s $500,000 investment. Lured to California under false pretenses, Saverin discovers his stake was diluted from 34% to 0.03% and he was ousted as co-founder/CFO, prompting his lawsuit threat, while the Winklevosses sue for idea theft after Facebook’s European launch; Parker is later arrested and cut off after blaming Saverin. Both cases settle out of court on advice from Zuckerberg’s lawyer, who fears jury sympathy issues, leaving Zuckerberg as the world’s youngest billionaire—finally sending a friend request to his ex-girlfriend and awaiting her response.
Starring:
David Fincher’s The Social Network boasts an impressive lineup: Jesse Eisenberg delivers a sharp performance as the ambitious Mark Zuckerberg, while Andrew Garfield plays his betrayed friend and business partner, Eduardo Saverin. Justin Timberlake brings charm and cunning as tech entrepreneur Sean Parker. Armie Hammer stands out in a dual role as the wealthy Winklevoss twins, and Max Minghella appears as their Harvard classmate, Divya Narendra.
Release date: October 1, 2010 (USA)
Director: David Fincher
Screenplay: Aaron Sorkin
Awards: Academy Award for Best Music (Original Score)
Adapted from: The Accidental Billionaires
Running time: 2 hours
