I love this movie so much

Such a frustrating disappointment

Just perfect...

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

"Start-up.com" is a really involving documentary, a dot-com story brought to life with real lives and real people.It was particularly astonishing how interesting it is as I'd just finished watching the 10 episode fictional mini-series on BBCAmerica that covers the same ground, "Attachments" and the non-fiction version mostly holds up as entertainment as well. Where it doesn't is intrinsic in the D.A. Pennebaker-produced techniques -- how much of what we see can stand alone as fact and how much is interpretively selected by the filmmakers? And how much of what we see is influenced by whom was the most comfortable with the filmmakers' constant presence, or who was the most verbal when the cameras are around? Clearly, the central figure CEO gave the filmmakers (one of whom was an old college friend) the most access, so we get a lot on him, and even some glimpses at his personal life. Was govworks.com Achilles heel insufficient attention to the actual web site functioning or were geeks less interesting to the filmmakers than the deal making CEO's?The fictional version was very careful to contrast the types. A compromise technique is the one "Real World" takes where we see (somewhat phony, somewhat staged) action unfold and then have the participants face the camera to explain themselves. But the context here is missing for the geeks working on the project (which "Attachments" is sensitive to) as opposed to the brash, camera-charming entrepreneurs.(originally written 7/8/2001)

I was flipping channels last night and happened to land on this documentary. I wasn't quite sure what was going on but I was entertained long enough that I stayed up 'till early morning watching this story unravel. This was a good look at the ins, outs and struggles of a couple of guys with a good idea (who happened to get a shot). Though I wasn't impressed by the camera work, I did enjoy the movie, particularly the look at the struggles faced by many start ups (be they .com or other) and how, more often than not, important business decisions can force one to choose between family and friends or the business. Ultimately, this documentary follows two friends, one charismatic and the other a bit of a geek, who have the drive to overcome failure and try again.8/10

Okay, let's face it, this film is really nothing special. It is pretty good and it is actually pretty compelling as it documents the rise and fall of an internet mega-site. It follows two corporate a**holes as they have everything they could ever ask for, and then have it slip away.The whole thing is shot on a home video camera by two cameramen who never say a word. The whole movie is filmed on an interesting topic, but quite honestly, I thought this film was boring as hell. I found it to be quite interesting and compelling, but the story was slow, and there is footage shown that doesn't have much to do with anything else. There are some scenes that even look like they were set up. Like, why would a guy be sitting around chilling in his underwear while a guy videotapes him. If I was him, I would've gotten some pants on first. There were just some parts that didn't seem realistic, and seem to me like they were set up in advance.Personally, I thought the film was great. But, it is very, very slow and you must have a very high patience. For major film fans only. And even they should take note that this film is an experience that I would not be able to sit throught more than once.STARTUP.COM gets 3/5.

Those who are commenting on the mediocrity of the craftmanship of this movie are missing the point. The rise and fall of the dot-coms have become a meaningful part of American history and lore. Stock tickers, balance sheets and bankruptcy sales tell part of the story, but there's a difference between arriving at the scene of a train wreck and actually watching it happen.The value of this movie is that, in spite of all of its flaws, you get to watch the train wreck knowing full well what's going to come, you can see why the principals didn't see the things that seem so obvious to us watching the film now, and you can see how their hubris, lack of technical understanding and lack of focus lead to their downfall.I'm sure that it could been a better movie, but it's the only behind the scenes account we have of what must have happened hundreds of times all over the country. Like the Zapruder film and Hanlon & Naudet's account of 9/11, it's value comes from the fact that the cameras were there, catching history as it happened.This movie should be required viewing for all B-School students, sort of like making student drivers watch Red Asphalt.