The Social Network
Sounds like a typical startup. The funny part is this often happens while the company is quickly spiraling down to zero value.
You can avoid reviews, get a rough idea based on the actors and crew members' other work and a synopsis then decide if it warrants a visit to the cinema. You can go out and read the book the film might be based on.
For example, Black Swan is a film coming out by Darren Aronofsky that's coming out later this year. It stars Natalie Portman as a promising young ballet dancer that's slowly turning into a swan. It's an interesting premise, Aronofsky did Requiem for a Dream, the Fountain and more recently The Wrestler.
As well as Natalie Portman it has Vincent Cassel, both of whom I've loved in films before. This tells me that the film is probably worth seeing at the cinema - it may or may not be good but I can go in regardless of expectations. Unless I hear it's pretty awful then that's what I'm likely to do.
"The water under the Golden Gate bridge is cold, Mark."
You won't believe the number of times I've had this exact conversation with people! (Although most people are too nice to call me unemployed outright)
The movie was very good, and the book, was, like, written, really badly. (and I was a fan of Mezrich's Bringing Down the House)