'Social Network' tops the box office, but could use more friends - USA Today

The Social Network wasn't exactly a social phenomenon, taking in a healthy if unspectacular $23 million this weekend.The well-reviewed David Fincher drama that skewers the founding of social site Facebook coasted to the top of the box office, according to studio estimates from industry trackers Hollywood.com.

The bow isn't bad, given the film features only Justin Timberlake as a marquee star and that fall dramas typically rely on adult moviegoers, who pay attention to reviews and are less inclined to turn out on opening weekends than teen audiences.

Sony called the debut a "fantastic start."

"We believe extraordinary word of mouth, coupled with nearly unanimous critical acclaim, will translate to a strong multiple in the weeks ahead," says Steve Elzer, a Sony senior vice president. He says the debut was at the "high end of studio expectations."

Still, given that Facebook has more than 500 million users, some analysts projected that Social would open to at least $25 million.

But that young demographic, which lives on the Web, and often stays at home in favor of video games and real social networks, remains a mystery to studios and marketing firms.

The film played to a largely older, female crowd. According to Sony exit surveys, women made up 53% of the audience, 55% of which were 25 and older.

The film earned a B-plus, according to audience pollsters CinemaScore.

Box office analyst Steve Mason, a columnist for Hollywood Wiretap, called the debut "softer at (the) box office than buzz would suggest."

Steve Frankel, analyst for TheWrap.com, says: "There is no 'sorta like' button on Facebook That's too bad, because the country could use this feature to describe its collective feeling about" the film.

From the outset, distributor Sony had a tricky task: selling a skeptical portrayal of Facebook to the millions of people who love it.

Whether that tone had an effect is unclear, but Sony courted both fans and critics of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, the focus of the movie. One ad played to the Kanye West hit The Power— "No one man should have all that power."

Still, the movie scored some of the best reviews of the year and is considered an early Oscar contender, luring a healthy dose of adult audiences. According to the film review site RottenTomatoes.com, 97% of the nation's reviewers recommended the movie.

The rest of the top five belonged to holdovers. Zack Snyder's animated Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga Hoole was a strong second with $10.9 million, lifting its 10-day total to $30 million.

Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps was third with $10 million, followed by Ben Affleck's heist drama The Town, also with $10 million. The Town has done $64.3 million in three weeks. The Emma Stone comedy Easy A rounded out the top five with $7 million.

Final figures are due Monday.

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