| RATING: | 60% |
| FORMAT: | DVD |
About the creators of the Facebook Website, this film demonstrates the theoretical potential of the Internet as compared to the actuality of the sheer trivia (& emotional addictiveness) that passes for entertainment in the real world of this unfettered communication.
The Web is about people - the cooler the better. As with social networks in the real world, virtual networks can only work if the people involved are, in some way, interesting and thus worth knowing. The emptiness of the characters here is reflected in their idea and is really an attempt, like Tony Hancock's Radio Ham, to find the friends one could never obtain otherwise. This is as true for the creators as for the end-users. The truth is that there are just not that many interesting people in the world: The only difference being that ones so-called friends do not increase exponentially as each day passes.
Clearly, the intellectual property rights' issue at the heart of this drama is based on the fact that the participants did not formalize their relationship in writing before either side went live with their idea. But ideas cannot be copyrighted, as shown by the fact that the idea shown here is not original - only better implemented.
Western capitalist culture is shown as one focused on finding the next big thing, regardless of both social value or of how desperate businessmen become to turn ideas into cash cows. Attempts to exploit ideas can easily become ridiculous as this film turns to comedy halfway through to motivate us to watch a drama about frankly-uninteresting people.
The other issue successfully explored here is that of an underdog coming out on top against those born into a higher social status. The resentful social snobbery of these who believe the world owes them a living is well-presented through their mediocrity, as compared with those who actually possess ideas and execute them successfully.
Jesse EISENBERG is excellent as the socially-awkward genius computer nerd who writes the software that propels him to billionaire status. He shows how making lots of money - especially while young - attracts sexually-attractive women as candle flames attract moths. Along with those who try to parasite off his ideas. This is all so much better than working hard at a higher education when you can make far more money.
Citizen Kane for computer geeks.
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