Aaron Sorkin's The Social Reckoning draws criticism for partisan bias

Aaron Sorkin's film, The Social Reckoning, is drawing sharp criticism for portraying Facebook as the sole driver of right-wing radicalism while ignoring far-left extremism. The movie, billed as a sequel to The Social Network, stars Jeremy Strong as Mark Zuckerberg and Mikey Madison as whistleblower Frances Haugen. It dramatizes the Wall Street Journal's Facebook Files investigation, led by reporter Jeff Horowitz, played by Jeremy Allen White. The narrative centers on internal Facebook reports alleging the platform's algorithms promoted hate groups and harmed young users' mental health. Sorkin, who wrote and directed the film, is accused of creating a narrow universe where only Facebook fomented political toxicity. The film depicts Zuckerberg and his staff watching the January 6 Capitol riot, implying the company bears direct responsibility for the event. It also blames Facebook for the spread of QAnon conspiracy theories and vaccine misinformation. The review notes a complete absence of any discussion regarding left-wing radicalization or the Black Lives Matter protests that occurred before January 6. No mention is made of government officials enforcing pandemic lockdowns, which the reviewer argues fueled societal paranoia. The film portrays Zuckerberg as a free speech absolutist who ultimately caved to pressure to ban President Donald Trump from the platform. In one scene, Zuckerberg argues with an investor, played by Bill Burr, that Facebook is a public square where users should not be treated like children. The reviewer suggests that while Sorkin wants the audience to side with the investor, true free speech champions align with Zuckerberg's initial stance. Jeremy Strong's performance is described as dedicated but lacking the emotional range of Jesse Eisenberg's portrayal in the original film. The reviewer notes that Strong looks nothing like Zuckerberg, though he captures the voice effectively. Without David Fincher directing, the film is described as artistically rudderless despite work from cinematographer Jeff Cronenweth and composer Alexandre Desplat. The dialogue is characterized as unnaturally witty and scholarly, reminiscent of The West Wing. The Social Reckoning is rated R for language and has a running time of 1 hour and 52 minutes. It is currently in theaters.