Friendship Pending: Success, Spite and Solitude in The Social Network

Audiences around the world have been captivated by the sordid story behind Facebook as told in The Social Network (David Fincher, 2010). Hailed as a creative genius by some and little more than a thief by others, the film's central character is not your typical geek, nor is his rise to fame your typical revenge of the nerds. Undermining the film's excellent performances and gripping tale of betrayal, however, is a problematic depiction of women, writes Susanna Nelson.