5 biggest d-bags in "The Social Network"

I believe the term "d-bag," or even its non-watered-d0wn full equivalent, is used way too often in today's pop culture. At some point, it became a cool, easy way for characters to describe each other, and it got a little out of hand. But it does so often seem like the perfect epithet. Take David Fincher's "The Social Network"--I can tap-dance around it, but really the movie is about a d-bag who gets rich and becomes even more of a d-bag, right?

In fact, there's just no better way to describe the character, or lack thereof, of many of the principals in this acclaimed film. Oh, I think it's a great achievement. Fincher takes a topic I would be skeptical could make an interesting film, the creation of Facebook, and turns it into a gripping film. I don't know how much Fincher had to do with the editing, but let's not ignore that essential aspect of the movie as we praise the director's effort. The brilliant crosscutting between the two legal situations Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg finds himself in is a huge part of the energetic feel of the story. So much of this movie just plain works, from Trent Reznor's evocative, fresh musical score to Jesse Eisenberg's outstanding performance as Zuck.

But ultimately, it's a movie about a bunch of d-bags. I don't see the greater social resonance and "generation-defining" or "era-defining" quality a lot of other people see in "The Social Network." If that's what this movie really is, well, then I weep for our times.

I think the fact we can enjoy it so much regardless is testament indeed to Fincher's talent as well as his crew, but perhaps even moreso to Eisenberg, who makes a basically unlikable guy (the way he is portrayed in Aaron Sorkin's script, at least) into a watchable center of a feature-length motion picture.

Eisenberg's Zuckerberg somehow pulls us in even while serving as the single biggest d-bag in a movie full of 'em. Here, in fact, is my ranking of the top 5 (NOTE: from this point on, SPOILERS are in effect):

1) Mark Zuckerberg. From the opening scene to the end, the guy keeps doing things to make you want to root against him.
2) Napster co-founder Sean Parker: Well, he's played by Justin Timberlake. I don't think the guy is a great actor, but he sure can play a convincing d-bag.
3) Harvard President Larry Summers: I'm amazed Sorkin and Fincher didn't attend Yale, because they make this guy look like a complete tool. The rowing twins come into the guy's office and tell him Zuckerberg cheated the hell out of him, and he's all like, "Yawn. Bother. Peel me a grape."
4) Either of the two lawyers who deliver the bad news that co-founder Eduardo Saverin is getting forced out of the company: I guess they're not terrible, but we can pretty much assume they belong here.
5) Mark Zuckerberg: Come on! The guy deserves two slots on the list. If you accept the version of reality portrayed by this movie--and there is some ambiguity, but I think there's a strong POV--Facebook was founded by Zuckerberg taking someone else's concept, developing it behind their backs with his best friend, then screwing over them AND his best friend. Plus he's stupid enough to take business advice from Justin Timberlake.