A movie that defined a generation turns 14
Some movies stand the test of time. One of David Fincher’s best films does just that. But what is exciting about the movie is how it defined an entire generation of fans on Tumblr. We really were changed 14 years ago.
I am talking about the Fincher film The Social Network. Telling the story of how Facebook came to be, the movie was released in 2010 and altered the brain chemistry of a lot of millennials. We really watched Andrew Garfield as Eduardo Saverin and said “we will love this man for the rest of our lives.” And now, on its 14th anniversary, nothing has changed. We are still praising it.
The Social Network stars Jesse Eisenberg as Mark Zuckerberg when he was creating Facebook at Harvard. Split between Zuckerberg’s legal issues with the Winklevoss twins and the creation of the social media platform, the movie gave us some of the best performances of all time. And we will never forget Andrew Garfield’s rant as Saverin.
It has been my second favorite Fincher movie since its release (Zodiac will always have my heart). But the impact this movie had on audiences is undeniable. I remember the days when you would log on Tumblr and see countless gif sets and fanfiction written about this movie.
It wasn’t about praising Zuckerberg or Facebook. It was about the way that Fincher brought Aaron Sorkin’s script to life that didn’t glorify those behind the app.
The love we all share for this movie is deep. You can’t really find a Fincher fan who dislikes The Social Network. Or, at least, not one I trust. From its perfect score to iconic shots that have been seared into my brain, there is just something magical about it.
The power of The Social Network
Often, real life stories turned into fictional tales lead the audience. We’re told how to feel about this situation. The Social Network laid out all the cards about Facebook and let us decide who to trust. We didn’t have to like a single character if he didn’t want to, that was all up to the audience.
But I do believe that The Social Network was the birth of many new film fans. For so many of us, we were teenagers and were confronted with an obsession over a film people considered “cinema”. Yes, we had other movies that were highly regarded, but The Social Network was one of the first times a movie like this felt like it belonged to us.
It is hard to explain how millennials view The Social Network. It is a comfort. We listen to the Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor score when we need a moment to breathe and we still say “lawyer up, asshole” like it is 2010. That’s just how much it means to us.
Every year in October, you will find someone tweeting about its anniversary and I think that is just beautiful. It was one of the first movies I remember completely dominating Tumblr and we still are all talking about how much we love it, 14 years later.
Happy birthday, The Social Network. You’re perfect.
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