The Social Reckoning review – Aaron Sorkin’s jittery sequel with all-new evil puppet Zuckerberg
Aaron Sorkin has written and directed a sequel to The Social Network, focusing on the 2021 Facebook whistleblowing campaign by employee Frances Haugen and Wall Street Journal reporter Jeff Horwitz. The film explores how Zuckerberg altered Facebook's algorithm to prioritise engagement through rage-bait and hate speech, actions that contributed to extremism and harm, though the film notably avoids naming Trump or specifying MAGA-related activity.
Jeremy Strong portrays Zuckerberg as a contemptuous, puppet-like figure, deliberately contrasting with Jesse Eisenberg's fast-talking version in the original film. Mikey Madison sympathetically plays Haugen, whilst Jeremy Allen White portrays Horwitz. Sorkin's signature rapid-fire, witty dialogue remains distinctive, though critics note some false notes, including an awkwardly glamorous "disguise" scene for Haugen and an overuse of Sorkin's distinctive speaking style that blurs character differentiation.
- Jeremy Strong plays Zuckerberg as a contemptuous puppet in Sorkin's Facebook drama
- Whistleblower Frances Haugen exposes algorithm changes fuelling extremism and hate
- Film avoids naming Trump despite Capitol riots connection
New here? Start with this
The Social Network, released in 2010, dramatised the founding of Facebook. Aaron Sorkin, who wrote that film's screenplay, has now written and directed a new film set a decade later. It fictionalises a significant corporate controversy that unfolded in 2021, when a former Facebook employee went public with allegations about the company's practices.
Frances Haugen, a Facebook product manager, exposed internal information showing the company's algorithm was deliberately designed to prioritise engagement, often through provocative content. Journalist Jeff Horwitz from the Wall Street Journal collaborated in reporting these revelations. The resulting scandal raised serious concerns about Facebook's role in spreading misinformation and extremist content.
The film stars Jeremy Strong as Mark Zuckerberg, portraying him as a cold, controlling figure, a deliberate contrast to Jesse Eisenberg's fast-talking version in the original film. Mikey Madison plays Haugen sympathetically, whilst Jeremy Allen White portrays Horwitz. Sorkin brings his trademark rapid-fire dialogue style to the screenplay.