I've been a fan of Aaron Sorkin's writing for TV, from his first series on ABC, "Sports Night," which lasted only two seasons (alas), to "The West Wing," which lasted through two Josiah Bartlet administrations. Very sharp writing, very interesting characters.Which is why I've been anticipating "The Social Network," Sorkin's treatment of Facebook founder and boy genius Mark Zuckerberg, who's played in the movie by Jesse Eisenberg (pictured left).
But a clod has landed in my churn, tossed by Harvard University law professor Lawrence Lessig. He sez the movie's worth seeing, but he faults Sorkin as just not getting the real import of "the social network." Sorkin has evidently admitted that he knows next to nothing about the Internet. Ouch.
Lessig likens Sorkin to a jester in the court of King George III charged with writing out his version of the American Revolution. Double ouch. And Lessig appears to have awfully good reasons, based on a thorough understanding of 21st Century American entrepreneurialism and the liberating nature of the InnerTubes, to pan Sorkin's condescending "take" on Zuckerberg.
Who'd a thunk that Aaron Sorkin would go from West Wing boy genius to fuddy-duddy that quickly?
Aaron Sorkin is a brilliant screenwriter. I, too, spend years glued to "Sports Night" and "The West Wing".
ReplyDeleteI saw "The Social Network" yesterday, and thought it was incredibly well directed and well produced. I think by now everyone has seen what the internet has done for sites like Facebook and Twitter, so that isn't the story Sorkin tried to tell.
The story hits on Zuckerberg's personal story, and initial business dealings associated with the creation of Facebook. Specifically, those he buddied up with and those he left out to dry.
It's a great story, and quite funny. I highly recommend it, and do think it more than lives up to expectations of Sorkin fans.