But it's hard for me to like a movie that doesn't give me hardly any characters to admire.
Even in a gangster flick, there's got to be somebody I can connect with or someone I can look up to. Even in a horror film, I look for someone to empathize with or cheer for -- someone who I hope survives. The same goes for an action/adventure movie or a drama or a comedy.
I think most of us look for worthy characters somewhere in any movie -- that's where we make our emotional connection.
In this regard, the new film The Social Network doesn't give us very much to like or admire.
This film is based on the true story of Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg and the creation of Facebook. I say "based on" because I am informed that the movie is largely told from the standpoint of those who eventually sued Zuckerberg.
The genesis for the movie is the book, "The Accidental Billionaires" by Ben Mezrich.
Zuckerberg is depicted as a bright, flip and socially-challenged student who is also somewhat bitter and maybe even vengeful.
The film switches back and forth between Zuckerberg's days at Harvard and the later legal battle over the intellectual rights attached to and the origin of the ideas behind Facebook.
Zuckerberg's primary opponents in the case (Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss) are presented as stereotypical, moneyed wasps -- greedy, well-bred and soulless. Zuckerberg's partner (Sean Parker of Napster renown) is manipulative, boastful and ultimately oppressive. Nearly every character in the film seems self-absorbed and avaricious. The students at Harvard are shown as amoral and hedonistic. The President of the University (Larry Summers) is played as an arrogant old fool -- but an old fool with a vest interest, nonetheless. Even Zuckerberg's Asian girlfriends seem to be in it for whatever they can get. And of course the lawyers come across as you would expect -- tedious, scheming and destructive.
Is this what university life is really like?
Is this truly the world of learned professionals?
Are America's so-called "best and brightest" really this empty, this nihilistic?
And although Hollywood has always been derisive of capitalism, are there no limits to its disdain?
Alas, there are two characters with some redeeming value -- and they are all we have to latch on to in The Social Network. One is Zuckerberg's first girlfriend (depicted only briefly by Rooney Mara) who wisely dumps him and later publicly rebuffs him when he tries to get her back.
The second is Zuckerberg's best friend, Eduardo Saverin (beautifully portrayed by Andrew Garfield) who sticks with Zuckerberg way longer than anyone would or should. Thank goodness for the endearing Mr. Garfield and the lovely Ms. Mara.
But they can't save the film because their characters are simply overwhelmed by others.
It doesn't matter that these people are smart. Ultimately, most of them are unprincipled and devoid of genuine depth. On top of all that, the script is hopelessly smug.
And the film goes on way too long.
In the last scene, as the law suit over Facebook's origin is being settled, a lawyer looks forlornly at the world's youngest billionaire, Mark Zuckerberg and says: "It's not that you're an asshole. It's just that you try so hard to be one."
Make of that what you will.
Or maybe you simply want to stay at hope and watch an old Katherine Hepburn/Spencer Tracey flick.
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