100+ Movies like The Social Network
Keith Lemon: The Film
Both films follow an ambitious young man who pursues a business idea with the help of friends, only to become consumed by greed and success, betraying those close to him. In "The Social Network", Mark Zuckerberg creates Facebook and cuts out co-founder Eduardo Saverin. In "Keith Lemon", Keith betrays his girlfriend Rosie and friend Dougie in pursuit of wealth from his Lemon Phone invention. Both protagonists face lawsuits over intellectual property theft and must confront the consequences of their selfish actions. Ultimately, they learn the importance of friendship and loyalty over material success.
Sydney White
"Sydney White" parallels "The Social Network" in its portrayal of an outsider challenging the established social hierarchy and elitism on campus. Like Mark Zuckerberg, Sydney White is an underdog who rises in popularity through her unique personality and creation of an online platform that ranks students, threatening the status quo represented by the elite sorority leader Rachel Witchburn, similar to the Winklevoss twins. Both films depict the protagonists facing opposition and legal battles from the established elite as they disrupt the existing social order through their online platforms. The themes of ambition, betrayal, and the democratizing power of technology in challenging traditional power structures are central to both stories.
The F**k-It List
Both "The F**k-It List" and "The Social Network" follow young, ambitious protagonists who rebel against the expectations and pressures placed on them by authority figures and societal norms. In "The Social Network", Mark Zuckerberg creates Facebook as an act of defiance against the elite social clubs at Harvard, while in "The F**k-It List", Brett Blackmore rejects the Ivy League path set for him by his overbearing parents. The protagonists' bold actions spark viral online movements that disrupt the status quo and gain widespread attention. They also face legal battles and conflicts with former friends/partners over ownership and credit for their creations. Ultimately, the movies explore themes of ambition, rebellion, and the consequences of challenging established systems.
BlackBerry
Both "The Social Network" and "BlackBerry" depict the rise and fall of pioneering tech companies and their founders. The movies follow a similar narrative arc: young, ambitious entrepreneurs develop a revolutionary product (Facebook and the BlackBerry phone, respectively) that disrupts the industry and achieves massive success. However, internal conflicts, power struggles, and clashing visions among the founders and key players lead to legal battles, betrayals, and the eventual downfall or marginalization of the companies. The movies explore themes of ambition, greed, friendship, and the sacrifices required for success in the cutthroat tech world. The founders' relationships are strained by differing priorities, with some prioritizing the product and vision while others focus on business and financial gain. The movies also highlight the role of outside investors and corporate rivals in shaping the companies' trajectories.
Dope
Both "Dope" and "The Social Network" follow the story of an ambitious young man from a disadvantaged background who gets caught up in an illicit scheme, leading to conflict with authority figures and legal troubles. The protagonists, Mark Zuckerberg in "The Social Network" and Malcolm in "Dope", are driven to succeed and prove themselves, even if it means bending the rules. They face challenges from rivals who accuse them of stealing ideas, and have to navigate complex relationships with friends and mentors. Ultimately, their ingenuity and determination allow them to overcome obstacles and achieve their goals, though not without personal costs and ethical compromises along the way.
Alexander IRL
"Alexander IRL" parallels "The Social Network" in its portrayal of an ambitious young man, Alexander Finn, who creates a popular social media app called IRL with the help of his brother EJ and friends. Similar to Mark Zuckerberg's founding of Facebook, Alexander's journey involves navigating social dynamics, betrayals from friends like Eduardo Saverin, and legal disputes over intellectual property. Both films explore themes of ambition, friendship, and the impact of social media on modern life. The climax of Alexander's story, where he apologizes for his ego and launches IRL, mirrors Zuckerberg's deposition scenes and Facebook's ultimate success despite controversies.
Friend Request
Both "Friend Request" and "The Social Network" revolve around the creation and rise of a popular social network, with a central character who is an outcast or loner developing the network and facing betrayal from friends and legal battles over ownership. In "The Social Network", Mark Zuckerberg creates Facebook and is sued by the Winklevoss twins for stealing their idea and by Eduardo Saverin for diluting his shares. Similarly in "Friend Request", Laura accepts a friend request from the lonely Marina, who then becomes obsessed and seeks vengeance after Laura unfriends her, leading to a supernatural battle over Laura's social network profile. The movies parallel the dark side of social media fame and success, with the creators facing personal and legal consequences from those they wronged in the pursuit of their ambitions.
August
Both "The Social Network" and "August" revolve around the rise of Internet startups and the hedonistic lifestyles of their young founders. In "The Social Network", Mark Zuckerberg creates Facebook and becomes a tech celebrity, much like Tom Sterling in "August" who co-founds the hot startup Landshark. The movies parallel the themes of ambition, greed, and the cult of personality surrounding successful tech entrepreneurs in the early 2000s. They depict the founders' lavish lifestyles and questionable ethics as their companies rapidly grow, as well as the legal battles and personal conflicts that arise from their actions.
Eat Wheaties!
Both "Eat Wheaties!" and "The Social Network" follow a similar narrative arc of an ambitious young man who becomes obsessed with a woman and pursues her relentlessly, leading to conflict and legal troubles. In "The Social Network", Mark Zuckerberg creates Facebook in part due to his obsession with his ex-girlfriend Erica Albright, while in "Eat Wheaties!", Sid sends numerous messages to Elizabeth Banks, his college crush, leading her agent to get a restraining order against him. The protagonists' single-minded pursuit of their goals, disregarding consequences, parallels each other. Both movies explore themes of ambition, obsession, and the moral implications of their actions. The legal battles over intellectual property in "The Social Network" mirror Sid's legal fight against the restraining order in "Eat Wheaties!".
Unfriended
Both "Unfriended" and "The Social Network" explore the dark side of social media and its impact on relationships and personal lives. "The Social Network" chronicles the founding of Facebook and the legal battles surrounding its creation, while "Unfriended" depicts a group of friends being tormented by the vengeful spirit of a former classmate through a video chat. The central themes revolve around the consequences of online actions, betrayal among friends, and the loss of privacy in the digital age. Both films portray how social media can amplify personal conflicts and secrets, leading to tragic outcomes. The plots follow the unraveling of friendships and the destructive power of online shaming and cyberbullying.
Old School
Both "Old School" and "The Social Network" follow a group of friends who start an unconventional organization that disrupts the established order, facing opposition from authority figures. In "The Social Network", Mark Zuckerberg and Eduardo Saverin create Facebook, a social network that rapidly expands beyond Harvard, angering the Winklevoss twins who claim Zuckerberg stole their idea. In "Old School", Mitch, Frank, and Bernard start an unofficial fraternity that defies the rules set by Dean Pritchard. Both stories involve a falling out between the main characters - Zuckerberg and Saverin have a bitter split over ownership of Facebook, while Frank's marriage crumbles. The movies depict the protagonists' determination to succeed despite obstacles, with climactic confrontations against the antagonists (the Winklevoss twins/Saverin and Dean Pritchard). Ultimately, the central organizations (Facebook and the fraternity) prevail and the protagonists move on, though relationships are strained.
Fanboys
Both "Fanboys" and "The Social Network" center around a group of friends pursuing an ambitious goal related to their shared passion - in "The Social Network", Mark Zuckerberg and Eduardo Saverin create Facebook, while in "Fanboys", a group of friends attempt to steal an early copy of Star Wars: Episode I. The plots follow the friends' journey, including conflicts within the group and with external forces trying to stop them. There are betrayals and falling outs between the friends, with one friend (Saverin in "The Social Network", Linus in "Fanboys") being pushed out of the core group. The movies explore themes of friendship, ambition, and the consequences of pursuing one's dreams at all costs. Both have a bittersweet ending, with the goal achieved but at the expense of fractured friendships.
Parallel
Both "Parallel" and "The Social Network" follow a group of friends who develop a revolutionary technology or idea, but their ambition and greed lead to betrayal and the fracturing of their relationships. In "The Social Network", Mark Zuckerberg creates Facebook but is sued by the Winklevoss twins for stealing their idea and by Eduardo Saverin for diluting his shares. Similarly in "Parallel", Devin, Noel, Leena, and Josh discover a mirror that allows travel between parallel universes. Noel becomes obsessed with exploiting this for personal gain, stealing ideas and betraying his friends, leading to violence and death. Both movies explore the darker side of success and how it can corrupt even close friendships.
Boiler Room
Both "Boiler Room" and "The Social Network" follow the story of a young, ambitious man who gets involved in a shady business venture that initially promises wealth and success. In "Boiler Room", Seth Davis joins a corrupt brokerage firm that engages in a "pump and dump" scheme, defrauding investors. Similarly, in "The Social Network", Mark Zuckerberg creates Facebook but betrays his friend Eduardo Saverin and faces lawsuits from the Winklevoss twins for allegedly stealing their idea. The movies explore themes of greed, ambition, and the moral compromises made in pursuit of wealth and power. The protagonists start off naive but become increasingly ruthless, alienating those close to them. Ultimately, the movies depict the rise and fall of the central characters as their unethical actions catch up with them, leading to legal consequences.
The Bride He Bought Online
Both "The Bride He Bought Online" and "The Social Network" involve a socially awkward and vengeful protagonist who feels wronged by others and seeks retaliation through unethical means. In "The Social Network", Mark Zuckerberg creates Facebook after being rejected by his girlfriend and feeling betrayed by the Winklevoss twins, while in "The Bride He Bought Online", John Bennett seeks revenge on the girls who catfished him by kidnapping and attempting to traffic them. The protagonists' actions stem from a sense of isolation and desire for retribution, leading them down a dark path fueled by obsession and disregard for consequences. The movies explore themes of ambition, betrayal, and the moral implications of unchecked power and vengeance.
Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps
Both "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps" and "The Social Network" follow the rise of ambitious young men in the cutthroat worlds of finance and technology. The protagonists, Jake Moore and Mark Zuckerberg, start with innovative ideas but become corrupted by greed and betrayal as they achieve success. They face lawsuits from former friends and partners who claim their ideas were stolen, Eduardo Saverin and the Winklevoss twins. Mentors with questionable morals, Gordon Gekko and Sean Parker, influence the protagonists down unethical paths. The films explore themes of ambition, loyalty, and the moral compromises required for wealth and power in these competitive industries. Ultimately, the protagonists must confront the consequences of their actions and attempt to reconcile with those they wronged.
Ricky Stanicky
"Ricky Stanicky" parallels "The Social Network" in its depiction of a lie or fabrication that spirals out of control, leading to unforeseen consequences. Just as Mark Zuckerberg's creation of Facebook involved deception and betrayal of his friends, the trio in "Ricky Stanicky" create an elaborate lie about their fictional friend Ricky to avoid responsibilities. Both stories explore themes of ambition, greed, and the ethical compromises made in pursuit of success. The characters hire actors to portray their fictional creations, mirroring how Zuckerberg brought in outside help to build Facebook. Ultimately, the truth comes out, forcing the protagonists to confront the consequences of their actions and the damage caused to their relationships.
Horrible Bosses
Both "Horrible Bosses" and "The Social Network" follow a group of friends who become dissatisfied with authority figures in their lives - bosses in "Horrible Bosses" and the Harvard administration in "The Social Network". They hatch schemes to undermine or get revenge on these authority figures, which spiral out of control. The protagonists resort to unethical and illegal actions, driven by ambition and a desire to succeed at all costs. Their relationships are strained as they betray each other in pursuit of their goals. In the end, the protagonists achieve a form of success but at great personal cost, highlighting the corrupting influence of power and greed.
Business Ethics
Both "Business Ethics" and "The Social Network" follow the rise and fall of an ambitious young businessman who sacrifices ethics and relationships in pursuit of wealth and success. The protagonists, Mark Zuckerberg and Zachery Cranston, start with innovative ideas but resort to unethical practices like fraud and betrayal to grow their companies. They alienate close friends and co-founders like Eduardo Saverin and Veronica, who were instrumental in their initial success. The movies explore themes of greed, ambition, and the moral compromises made in the pursuit of power and money in the business world. The protagonists' downfall is precipitated by legal troubles and the consequences of their unethical actions catching up to them.
Disconnect
Both "Disconnect" and "The Social Network" explore the dark side of the internet and social media, and how they can enable exploitation, deception, and disconnection from human relationships. In "The Social Network", Mark Zuckerberg's creation of Facebook leads to betrayal of his friend Eduardo Saverin and legal battles over intellectual property theft. Similarly in "Disconnect", the characters' lives become entangled due to the misuse of online platforms like video chat rooms, cyberbullying, and identity theft. The movies portray how the pursuit of ambition and success in the digital world can come at the cost of ethics and human connections. They also highlight the vulnerability of youth to online predators and the consequences of online actions in the real world.