The reviews are consistently positive, with praise clustering around Sorkin’s sharp dialogue, Fincher’s controlled direction and Jesse Eisenberg’s performance as Zuckerberg. Most critics find the founding of Facebook compelling drama about ambition, loyalty and isolation, rather than merely an account of a business taking shape. Fincher earns credit for keeping multiple timelines and competing perspectives clear, while Eisenberg makes a difficult protagonist absorbing without making him reassuringly likeable.
There is little outright dissent, and the supplied reviews offer few substantial complaints about the filmmaking. The differences concern how critics interpret its central character and the significance of his creation. Total Film values the refusal to demonise Zuckerberg; The Guardian stresses the spite behind the enterprise and questions whether its money and excitement amount to anything substantial. The spread is chiefly one of enthusiasm, from firm approval to unreserved praise, rather than disagreement over whether the film works.