Over fifteen years after The Social Network hit cinemas, Aaron Sorkin is now turning his attention back to Facebook with his newest film, The Social Reckoning. While most of the behind-the-scenes creative team remained the same- for example, Sorkin stayed on as a writer, and Cronenweth also returned as cinematographer- the director is not. In this sequel, Sorkin steps in as a director to fill in the shoes of David Fincher.

The film starts with Frances Haugen (Mikey Madison), a data engineer who works in the Civic Integrity Team at Facebook, a platform which she believes can bring out the best in everyone. But when she starts to notice that things are not quite going in the right direction, she joins forces with Jeff Horwitz (Jeremy Allen White), a Wall Street Journal reporter who is investigating Facebook’s impact on the general public. The CEO of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg (Jeremy Strong), is left to deal with all of this, with the aid of his employees and legal counsel.

The acting especially stands out in this film. Madison and Strong are incredible in their roles, making Frances and Jeff feel like real people with backgrounds, families, and lives that stretch beyond what we see in the movie. The lead actors also work incredibly well together with a unique comedic chemistry that manages to come through even during the most tense and hardest moments of the film. The writing is also excellent, as is often the case with Sorkin, with his sharp and engaging dialogue that is bound to draw viewers in from the very beginning. Even the more expositionary moments, of which the film struggles in the beginning, are forgivable in the face of the complex issues it discusses.

Explore more of our reviews →

In fact, the material that the film touches on is at its very core quite technical and potentially difficult for the general public to grasp, but the film does an excellent job at making all the key points clear and intelligible even for those who, like Jeff, may not have a tech background. The film focuses on an incredibly timely and urgent topic: the deliberate harm that Facebook and Meta are causing to its users through its algorithm. While many may have heard of the Wall Street Journal investigation that the narrative focuses on, it is likely that not a lot of audiences will be aware of just how much damage it causes or how deliberate the entire situation is. Sorkin does an excellent job of spotlighting this, making the audience aware of the inherent issues with Meta while also creating a compelling and gripping thriller.

The main issue with the film is that it doesn’t seem to be quite sure of what it wants to be. The story takes place too far into the present to be a cautionary tale, as the damage has very much happened already, but it also lacks enough of a definite resolution that is key to legal dramas due to how recently the events in the movie happened. Trapped in a circle of trying to find some positive note to end the story on, the movie never really manages to achieve its full potential of depicting just how bleak and dark the situation with Meta and social media really is.

Comparisons with its predecessors are only natural, but the two movies feel entirely different not only in tone, but also in visual style and focus on the narrative.  The latter is not necessarily negative, as it does allow this film to stand on its own, but the film also focuses on an entirely new and different set of characters, setting it apart even more from the original.

Overall, The Social Reckoning is undoubtedly a good film, albeit not a great one. With such an important topic that influences the lives of everyone in the audience, it feels like the film could have done more with its premise while dealing with an incredibly timely and urgent subject matter

★★★

In cinemas October 9th / Mikey Madison, Jeremy Allen White, Jeremy Strong, Bill Burr/  Dir: Aaron Sorkin / Sony Pictures Releasing/ 15

About the Author

Clotilde Chinnici

Author

Clotilde’s love for film began at a very young age with the Disney cartoons she would watch over and over. However, her passion for films truly sparked with franchises like Hunger Games and Harry Potter. After graduating with a BA in Film from King’s College London, Clotilde started working in film production and entertainment journalism while developing a deeper understanding of film movements and trends. Although most of her time is occupied by watching films, writing and talking about them to anyone who will listen, Clotilde enjoys reading and baking in her free time.

Visit Website View All Posts