20 Opening Movie Scenes That Are Totally Flawless
3. I'm Breaking Up With You - The Social Network (2010)
David Fincher's magnum opus The Social Network opens with a five-minute conversation between future Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) and his soon-to-be-ex Erica (Rooney Mara), which starts off harmless enough before spiralling into a brutal breakup.
Penned by the brilliant, fast-paced screenwriter Aaron Sorkin, the scene is simultaneously witty, comical, tragic and cringe-inducing, as the couple talk about college and their futures before Mark puts his foot in his mouth and ruins their relationship.
Through just talking, the opening does an incredible thing few films can really pull off: It acts as the catalyst for Zuckerberg's upcoming rise to Internet billionaire, it perfectly captures the kind of man he is, and it ingeniously foreshadows how all of his strongest relationships are going to end.
It brings new meaning to the phrase "simple but effective", and is a spotless start to a spotless movie.