‘The Social Reckoning’ Already Feels Irrelevant
Aaron Sorkin’s sequel to The Social Network attempts to shame a ruling class that has proved itself shameless.
David Fincher's "The Social Reckoning," released years after the original "The Social Network," attempts to tackle the complex issue of Facebook's influence on society. The film, directed by Aaron Sorkin with a soundtrack by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, stars Jesse Eisenberg as Mark Zuckerberg. The story is centered around Frances Haugen, a former Facebook data engineer who leaked internal memos exposing the company's role in spreading dangerous content.
Sorkin initially struggled to see a potential sequel to "The Social Network," but Haugen's testimony about her acquaintance's radicalization on Facebook provided the inspiration for the film's opening scene. In the movie, an intoxicated woman engages in racist abuse with police officers while recording a video on her phone. The video ends up on a far-right Facebook page, where Haugen recognizes her acquaintance as one of her former pilates classmates who used to be progressive.
The film delves into Haugen's efforts to convince her colleagues at Facebook about the dangers of their algorithms, which push users towards extremist content. However, the plot structure feels clunky, with too many intertitles and visual cues indicating the passage of time. While the performances are engaging, and the familiar Sorkinese dialogue remains captivating, the film falls short due to its clunky execution and lackluster pacing.
Released amidst a wave of other tech-focused films, "The Social Reckoning" struggles to stand out. Competitors like "Artificial" and "Musk" have garnered significant attention, while "You Can See Everything" explores the rise and fall of Elizabeth Holmes, the founder of convicted fraudster Theranos. Despite its timely climax involving the January 6 Capitol riot, the film's relevance is somewhat out of step with the current political climate, as Trump continues to wield power and influence.
Ultimately, "The Social Reckoning" is a mixed bag, offering thought-provoking moments but ultimately falling short of being a truly compelling exploration of the tech industry's ethical dilemmas.
Written by urgent.news from Wired's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
