The Social Reckoning review: 'perfectly enraging'

The Social Reckoning (15) ★★★

A sort-of sequel to The Social Network, The Social Reckoning sees Aaron Sorkin return to the world of Facebook and Mark Zuckerberg with a more explicitly damning portrait of the platform than depicted in that earlier origins story. Though that movie, brilliantly directed by David Fincher, wasn’t particularly celebratory either, Sorkin’s Oscar-winning script managed to capture what was off about the younger Zuckerberg’s disruptor impulse in a way that makes much of what the new film’s about feel depressingly inevitable.

This time Sorkin (directing as well as writing) zeroes in on Facebook’s fateful decision to fuel engagement on the site by amplifying division, toggling between 2018 and 2021 to dramatise the efforts of Facebook whistleblower Frances Haughan (Mikey Madison) and Wall Street Journal reporter Jeff Horwitz (Jeremy Allen White) to expose how a change in the algorithm effectively turbocharged hate and extremist thinking.

But he also cuts back and forth to Zuckerberg (played by Jeremy Strong) as he preps for a 2021 senate hearing, a narrative device that isn’t quite as innovative as the Social Network’s duelling lawsuits, but does allow Strong plenty of room to tackle the Facebook founder. Playing him as an isolated emperor surrounded by sycophants, it’s a purposefully robotic performance, a portrait of a socially awkward public figure forcing himself to act human.

READ MORE: The Uprising review: 'Andrew Garfield grounds the action with righteous fury'

The film, though, is more about the disillusioned Haughan’s antagonistic relationship with Horwitz as he cultivates her as a source. Sorkin imbues this with a screwball energy that chimes with his penchant for rapid-fire dialogue, something that the Oscar-winning Anora star and Allen White devour.

It’s pretty entertaining and what the characters uncover is — ironically — perfectly enraging. But as a director Sorkin could use some of Fincher’s sardonic edge; his unwillingness to curb his more theatrical impulses sometimes makes this feel old-fashioned rather than timeless.

The Social Reckoning is in cinemas from 9 October

The Scotsman’s arts newsletter is now sent twice a week - subscribe today

Enjoying the Arts & Culture journalism on scotsman.com? Make it easier to find by selecting us as a preferred Google source

Want the latest Scottish headlines sent directly to your phone? Sign up to our new WhatsApp channel here