It was the Blurb Heard 'Round the World -- or at least Seen 'Round the World, if you've been paying attention at all to the marketing campaign for The Social Network: "It's the movie of the year that also brilliantly defines the decade," said Rolling Stone's Peter Travers, known for years as one of Hollywood's most reliably fulsome dispensers of poster-ready praise. Whether or not you agree with him (Movieline's review is forthcoming later today), you can't really help but be amused by fellow critic David Edelstein's reaction -- on national television, no less.
"You wouldn't believe the hype for The Social Network," Edelstein begins...
which tells the story (or a disputed version) of 20-something Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg and how he invented the Web phenomenon Facebook. One blurbmeister says, "It's the movie of the year that also brilliantly defines the decade." Yowza! Given what a crazy decade it has been, I bet we're all hungry for some definition.
Burn! Yes: Definition, perspective, context... all are welcome. (And I'm speaking as someone who very much liked the film.) But a stinging public sucker punch is always even more welcome, I must say. Enjoy.