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The Social Network · written by Aaron Sorkin · 2010
Scene 1 of 189 · ≈ 8 min on screen · First scene of act one
Mark Zuckerberg wants status and belonging Harvard's final clubs won't give him, so he builds a website that gives the world both — and loses his best friend and co-founder to the company he built to prove he mattered.
This scene
MARK ZUCKERBERG is a sweet looking 19 year old whose lack of any physically intimidating attributes masks a very complicated and dangerous anger. He has trouble making eye contact and sometimes it’s hard to tell if he’s talking to you or to himself.
ERICA, also 19, is Mark’s date. She has a girl-next-door face that makes her easy to fall for. At this point in the conversation she already knows that she’d rather not be there and her politeness is about to be tested.
The scene is stark and simple.
MARK
How do you distinguish yourself in a
population of people who all got 1600 on
their SAT’s?
ERICA
I didn’t know they take SAT’s in China.
MARK
They don’t. I wasn’t talking about China
anymore, I was talking about me.
ERICA
You got 1600?
MARK
Yes. I could sing in an a Capella group,
but I can’t sing.
ERICA
Does that mean you actually got nothing
wrong?
MARK
I can row crew or invent a 25 dollar PC.
ERICA
Or you can get into a final club.
MARK
Or I can get into a final club.
ERICA
You know, from a woman’s perspective,
sometimes not singing in an a Capella
group is a good thing?
MARK
This is serious.
ERICA
On the other hand I do like guys who row
crew.
MARK
(beat)
Well I can’t do that.
ERICA
I was kid--
MARK
Yes, it means I got nothing wrong on the
ERICA
Have you ever tried?
MARK
I’m trying right now.
ERICA
To row crew?
MARK
To get into a final club. To row crew?
No. Are you, like--whatever--delusional?
ERICA
Maybe, but sometimes you say two things
at once and I’m not sure which one I’m
supposed to be aiming at.
MARK
But you’ve seen guys who row crew, right?
ERICA
No.
MARK
Okay, well they’re bigger than me.
They’re world class athletes. And a
second ago you said you like guys who row
crew so I assumed you had met one.
ERICA
I guess I just meant I liked the idea of
it. The way a girl likes cowboys.
MARK
(beat)
Okay.
ERICA
Should we get something to eat?
MARK
Would you like to talk about something
else?
ERICA
No, it’s just since the beginning of the
conversation about finals club I think I
may have missed a birthday.
(can’t get over it)
There are really more people in China with
genius IQ’s than the entire population of--
MARK
The Phoenix is the most diverse. The Fly
Club, Roosevelt punched the Porc.
ERICA
Which one?
MARK
The Porcellian, the Porc, it’s the best
of the best.
ERICA
Which Roosevelt?
MARK
Theodore.
ERICA
Is it true that they send a bus around to
pick up girls who want to party with the
next Fed Chairman?
MARK
You can see why it’s so important to get
in.
ERICA
Okay, well, which is the easiest to get
into?
MARK is visibly hit by that...
MARK
Why would you ask me that?
ERICA
I’m just asking.
MARK
None of them, that’s the point. My friend
Eduardo made $300,000 betting oil futures
one summer and Eduardo won’t come close
to getting in. The ability to make money
doesn’t impress anybody around here.
ERICA
Must be nice. He made $300,000 in a
summer?
MARK
He likes meteorology.
ERICA
You said it was oil futures.
MARK
You can read the weather you can predict
the price of heating oil. I think you
asked me that because you think the final
club that’s easiest to get into is the
one where I’ll have the best chance.
ERICA
I asked--what?
MARK
You asked me which one was the easiest to
get into because you think that that’s
the one where I’ll have the best chance.
ERICA
The one that’s the easiest to get into
would be the one where anybody has the
best chance.
MARK
You didn’t ask me which one was the best
one, you asked me which one was the
easiest one.
ERICA
I was honestly just asking. Okay? I was
just asking to ask. Mark, I’m not
speaking in code.
MARK
Erica--
ERICA
You’re obsessed with finals clubs. You
have finals clubs OCD and you need to see
someone about it who’ll prescribe you
some sort of medication. You don’t care
if the side effects may include
blindness.
MARK
Final clubs. Not finals clubs and there’s
a difference between being obsessed and
being motivated.
ERICA
Yes there is.
MARK
Well you do--that was cryptic--so you do
speak in code.
ERICA
I didn’t mean to be cryptic.
MARK
I’m saying I need to do something
substantial in order to get the attention
of the clubs.
ERICA
Why?
MARK
Because they’re exclusive. And fun and
they lead to a better life.
ERICA
Teddy Roosevelt didn’t get elected
president because he was a member of the
Phoenix Club.
MARK
He was a member of the Porcellian and yes
he did.
ERICA
Well why don’t you just concentrate on
being the best you you can be?
MARK
Did you really just say that?
ERICA
(beat)
I was kidding.
Although just because something’s trite
it doesn’t make it any less--
MARK
I want to try to be straight forward with
you and tell you that I think you might
want to be a little more supportive. If I
get in I’ll be taking you...to the
events, and the gatherings...and you’ll
be meeting a lot of people you wouldn’t
normally get to meet.
ERICA
(smiles)
You would do that for me?
MARK
We’re dating.
ERICA
Okay, well I want to try and be straight
forward with you and let you know that
we’re not anymore.
MARK
What do you mean?
ERICA
We’re not dating anymore, I’m sorry.
MARK
Is this a joke?
ERICA
No, it’s not.
MARK
You’re breaking up with me?
ERICA
You’re going to introduce me to people I
wouldn’t normally have the chance to
meet? What the fff--What is that supposed
to mean?
MARK
Wait, settle down.
ERICA
What is it supposed to mean?
MARK
Erica, the reason we’re able to sit here
and drink right now is cause you used to
sleep with the door guy.
ERICA
The door guy, his name is Bobby. I did
not slept with the door guy, the door guy
is a friend of mine. He’s a perfectly
good class of people and what part of
Long Island are you from--Wimbledon?
MARK
Wait--
ERICA
I’m going back to my dorm.
MARK
Wait, wait, is this real?
ERICA
Yes.
MARK
Okay, then wait. I apologize, okay?
ERICA
I have to go study.
MARK
Erica--
ERICA
Yeah.
MARK
I’m sorry, I mean it.
ERICA
I appreciate that but--
MARK
Come on.
ERICA
--I have to study.
MARK
You don’t have to study. You don’t have
to study. Let’s just talk.
ERICA
I can’t.
MARK
Why?
ERICA
Because it’s exhausting. Dating you is
like dating a stairmaster.
MARK
All I meant is that you’re not likely to--
currently--I wasn’t making a comment on
your parents--I was just saying you go to
B.U., I was stating a fact, that’s all,
and if it seemed rude then of course I
apologize.
ERICA
I have to go study.
MARK
You don’t have to study.
ERICA
Why do you keep saying I don’t have to
study?!
MARK
Because you go to B.U.!
ERICA stares at him...
MARK (CONT’D)
(pause)
Do you want to get some food?
ERICA
I’m sorry you’re not sufficiently
impressed with my education.
MARK
And I’m sorry I don’t have a rowboat so
we’re even.
ERICA
I think we should just be friends.
MARK
I don’t want friends.
ERICA
I was being polite, I have no intention
of being friends with you.
MARK
I’m under some pressure right now with my
OS class and if we could just order food
I think we should--
ERICA takes MARK’s hand and looks at him tenderly...
ERICA
(close)
You are probably going to be a very
successful computer person.
But you’re going to go through life
thinking that girls don’t like you
because you’re a nerd. And I want you to
know, from the bottom of my heart, that
that won’t be true. It’ll be because
you’re an asshole.
And with that stinger, ERICA walks off we slowly push in on MARK. A fuse has just been lit.
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