The hype behind ‘The Social Network’

“You don’t get to 500 million friends without making a few enemies,” reads the tagline to what is expected to be this weekend’s biggest movie, “The Social Network.” Directed by David Fincher from a script by Aaron Sorkin, the film chronicles the meteoric rise of Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and the people he walked over to get there.

The film has been making headlines since before a single scene was even shot. Its portrayal of the world’s most successful 26 year old as a conniving, backstabbing social climber, who, despite having created Facebook, is incapable of making friends of his own, has generated Oscar buzz for the film. Cynics also claim the unflattering depiction inspired Zuckerberg to donate $100 million to Newark public schools as damage control.

For two perspectives on the film, and the real Zuckerberg, we’re joined by Takeaway contributor and film critic for Newsday, Rafer Guzman, along with writer Jose Antonio Vargas. Rafer loves the movie, but Jose, who met and interviewed the real Zuckerberg while writing a profile of him for The New Yorker is more ambivalent what he saw.