In 2010 screenwriter Aaron Sorkin wrote what is perhaps one of the most important films in modern cinema. The Social Network took a look at the sometimes dark origins of the social media phenomenon that was sweeping across the world – Facebook.
More importantly it gave the world a look at the man who helped create it – Mark Zuckerberg – with a career-defining performance by Jesse Einsenberg. The brilliance of the film was the fact that Sorkin had the courage to deliver a biopic that didn’t just show the positives of those portrayed in it.
Since the release of The Social Network Facebook has gone from strength to strength crushing all of its competitors who stand against it. But what about the dark sides of the platform, after all this is now a device that many believe is one of the most important tools in a political campaign and it has literally made and broken careers. What many may of missed though is how so of the darker sides of Facebook have been brought to life in recent years and that is what Sorkin exposes in his latest film – The Social Reckoning.
Sorkin directs as well as screenwrites this time around as he concentrates on the events surrounding investigative journalist Jeff Horwitz (Jeffrey Allen White – The Bear) and whistleblower Frances Haugen (Mikey Madison – Scream).
At the time Haugen worked as a Civic Misinformation Product Manager for Facebook – a role which saw her working to stop misinformation being spread by the platform. However after investigating the case of a friend she realised that Facebook’s own algorithm was actually radicalising people by sending them to extremist pages.
She tried to raise the point with her managers who basically told her to keep quiet. Frustrated at not being listened to when she discovered that Horwitz was working on articles about Facebook for The Wall Street Journal she decided to reach out to him and tell him what she knew.
The film’s second storyline then centres around the time when the articles were published. Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg (Jeremy Strong – The Apprentice) is being coached on how to talk to Congress – he is basically in damage control.
During these coaching sessions he is approached by former friend and colleague Charlie (Bill Burr – Old Dads) who says that he warned Zuckerberg about the dangers years only. Things then go from bad to worse when those coaching sessions are interrupted not only by the news of the Horwitz/Haugen articles being published but also that Facebook has become a partner in those involved for the Insurrection at Capitol Hill in the wake of President Trump’s election loss.
This dialogue heavy film once again sees Sorkin deliver his screenwriting magic. Once he again he reveals a lot of dark facts that has perhaps been shielded or hidden from the everyday person and he does it such a way that often you will find yourself watching the screen in awe. He also knows that some of the audience will not understand the tech-savvy jargon that Frances uses throughout the film so he plays up on the fact that Horwitz doesn’t understand it either – the result is a film where nobody walks away not understanding really what was at play here.
As a director Sorkin lets his scenes bring out the best in his cast. As usual Jeffrey Allen White is at his brilliant best and it is hard to imagine that his performance here won’t be talked about during the Awards season. Likewise Oscar winner Mikey Madison shines as she plays the anxious yet brave Mikey Madison. The scenes that White and Madison share together are some of the best that you will see this year.
The same can also be said for the scenes with Jeremy Strong and Bill Burr. Strong’s portrayal of Zuckerberg as an emotionless robotic like character is mesmerising while Burr puts his comedic skills on hold as he delivers a dramatic, forceful performance that I think few would have expected that he had him.
Perhaps the only weakness in The Social Reckoning is that it feels like the scenes in Facebook’s war bunker during the riots at Capitol Hill should have been longer. In fact they almost could have been a real-time movie on their own. The tension during those scenes are intense and any audience member will want more. The other baffling part of those scenes is Sorkin’s reluctance to mention Donald Trump – we all knew who the ‘he’ was that was posting so it seemed a little surprising that he wasn’t named – especially given Sorkin’s usual style of telling the whole truth in his screenplays.
Still that is a minor issue with a film that is a definite must see. The Social Reckoning is a real tour de force with a brilliant screenplay allowing for some of the best acting performances you will see this year. This is a film so damming in its revelations it might just be enough for you to start thinking about the impact that social media has on your own life.
4.5/5 Stars
