Review: 'The Social Reckoning' isn't quite 'The Social Network,' but it may be just as important

SALT LAKE CITY — I remember watching "The Social Network" in 2010 and being fascinated by the story of how Facebook came to be. It was a movie about ambition, friendship, betrayal and a brilliant, awkward young man who literally changed the world.

At the time, I don't think any of us fully understood how much that world was going to keep changing.

Sixteen years later, we have "The Social Reckoning," and while some are calling it a sequel, I think companion piece is a much better description.

"The Social Network" showed us how Facebook became one of the most powerful companies in the world. "The Social Reckoning" asks what happens when that kind of power goes unchecked.

And while I don't think the new film quite reaches the heights of its predecessor, it might be just as important.

A different kind of Facebook story

"The Social Reckoning" follows Frances Haugen (Mikey Madison), a Facebook employee who becomes increasingly concerned about what the company knows about the potential harm its platform is causing and what it's willing to do about it.

Haugen eventually connects with Wall Street Journal reporter Jeff Horwitz (Jeremy Allen White), and the two begin working together to expose internal company documents that could reveal just how much Facebook knew about the impact of its algorithms and business practices.

The story draws on the real-life events surrounding the 2021 Facebook whistleblower revelations.

Where "The Social Network" was a fascinating look at a company's rise and the complicated people behind it, "The Social Reckoning" feels more like "All the President's Men." It's a story about journalism, uncovering the truth and the risks people are willing to take when they believe something is wrong.

Strong performances, a story that keeps you

One of the things that impressed me most about "The Social Reckoning" was how thoroughly it held my attention.

This is a slow-burn drama. No car chases, explosions, or elaborate action sequences keep things moving. It's people talking, investigating, arguing, and trying to figure out what to do next.

Writer and director Aaron Sorkin has always had a gift for making conversations feel like high-stakes confrontations. He's one of the best at it, and that talent is on full display here.

Madison and White are excellent together. Their characters are approaching the same problem from very different perspectives, but their shared determination makes them compelling to watch. The chemistry works, and I found myself genuinely invested in what would happen to them.

Then there's Jeremy Strong as Mark Zuckerberg. His performance is uncomfortable — and I mean that as a compliment.

His Zuckerberg is brilliant, calculated, and downright ruthless. And whether that's intentional, Sorkin isn't particularly interested in hiding who he believes the villain of this story is.

Missing a little Fincher magic

As much as I enjoyed "The Social Reckoning," there's something missing that I couldn't quite shake.

David Fincher.

Fincher directed "The Social Network," and while Sorkin wrote both films, the difference behind the camera is noticeable. Fincher brings something else to his movies that's difficult to put into words — a visual tone, a rhythm to the editing and an atmosphere that makes his films feel distinctly his.

"The Social Network" had that quality in every scene. "The Social Reckoning" is much more straightforward.

The story is compelling enough that it doesn't need elaborate camera work or stylistic flourishes to keep us engaged. But when you're making a companion piece to a film as well-crafted as "The Social Network," comparisons are inevitable.

Missing direction is a big reason I walked out of the theater thinking I had seen a very good movie and not a great one.

But I couldn't stop thinking about it.

The most frightening movie I've seen in a while?

We're in October, which means horror movies are everywhere. We've got masked killers, haunted houses, possessed children and all kinds of things designed to scare us.

There's an argument to be made that "The Social Reckoning" is one of the more frightening movies you could watch this Halloween season. Not because it's a horror movie — it's frightening because of how real it is.

The idea that a handful of brilliant people can create something that fundamentally changes the way billions of people think, communicate and interact with the world is remarkable but also terrifying.

We know social media can be harmful. We've heard about its effects on mental health, misinformation, relationships and the way we see ourselves and others. None of that is particularly new information.

"The Social Reckoning" didn't teach me anything I hadn't already heard ... it made me think about those things differently.

There's something deeply unsettling about watching a story about a product that can do so much good while also causing so much damage, especially when we know the people using it often struggle to walk away.

When something has that much influence over our lives, shouldn't we spend a little more time thinking about how we use it and why?

That's the question "The Social Reckoning" left me asking.

Conclusion

"The Social Reckoning" isn't perfect. I think it suffers in comparison to "The Social Network," and Sorkin's perspective is so clear that there's not always much room for nuance.

It's also an incredibly engaging movie with excellent performances, sharp writing and a story that kept me interested from beginning to end. I enjoyed it while I was watching, but I think I appreciate it more than I did when I left the theater.

I also think this is a film parents may want to consider watching with their older kids.

"The Social Reckoning" is rated R, and the rating comes from language. There's enough to justify the rating, and no sexual content or violence drives it.

I might be willing to have my kids sit through some strong language if it means opening up a meaningful conversation about social media, how it works and why we've chosen not to let them use it. If you're curious, they haven't loved that decision.

The conversation could be worth a lot more than two hours at the movies.

"The Social Reckoning" may not be quite as good as "The Social Network," but I think it reminds us that changing the world and making it better aren't necessarily the same thing.

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