Aaron Sorkin goes back to Facebook. The Social Reckoning stars Mikey Madison as whistleblower Frances Haugen, Jeremy Allen White as Wall Street Journal reporter Jeff Horwitz, and Jeremy Strong as a Mark Zuckerberg who has run out of places to look away. Pete Wright, Tommy Metz III, Steve Sarmento, and Justin Jaeger take the whole thing apart.
Is this the Sorkin movie that finally respects the record, or just his most convincing one yet? Does the January 6 war room land as a reckoning, or let Facebook off easy? And how much Sorkin is too much Sorkin? The panel does not agree.
The Film Board is a monthly deep dive on new theatrical releases from The Next Reel family of film podcasts.
Links & Notes
- The film. Rate it with us on Letterboxd, and follow The Next Reel while you're there.
- What's real. Jeff Horwitz walked through what the film gets right, from the burner phone to the backyard meetings, in an account summarized by Hollywood Life. Pete's point about why Haugen joined Facebook comes from her own Senate testimony, where she said someone close to her had been radicalized online. For the full hearing, Just Security's recap covers the day.
- Where Charlie came from. Bill Burr's character was inspired by early Facebook investor Roger McNamee, who is also an executive producer on the film. Sorkin told Vanity Fair why the name had to change (via Business Insider).
- More Sorkin. The West Wing, the measuring stick for the whole panel. Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, home of Tommy's favorite smart-person stumble. Steve Jobs, Pete's other example of Sorkin compressing time. And from The Film Board archive: The Trial of the Chicago 7, Molly's Game, and Being the Ricardos.
- Referenced on the show. All the President's Men, the movie this one desperately wants to be. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, the high-water mark for sexy research. Schindler's List, Tommy's red-coat comparison. The Breakfast Club, the fist pump Pete saw coming and fell for anyway. Oppenheimer, JJ's case study in stakes that didn't land for him. The Big Short, Steve's reminder of how little changes after the outrage.
- The rest of the family. The Next Reel with Andy Nelson and Pete Wright. Sitting in the Dark with Tommy, Kynan Dias, Chelsea Stardust, and Pete. Cinema Scope with Andy Nelson. Movies We Like. All five under The Next Reel Family of Film Shows.
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What is The Film Board?
Ever leave the theater desperate to talk about that one wild scene, that questionable plot twist, or the inexplicably shirtless cameo? The Film Board is here for you. Each month, host Pete Wright assembles a panel of film obsessives—Tommy Metz III, Steve Sarmento, Justin Jaeger, and an ever-rotating cast of co-conspirators—for a round-table deep dive into the latest movies in theaters. Spoilers? Absolutely. Hot takes? Always. Polite, nuanced disagreement? We aspire.
Perfect for film fans who love smart, spirited, and occasionally ridiculous conversations—and aren’t afraid of spoilers. Subscribe now and join the debate.
Part of The Next Reel family of film podcasts. Find more at https://trustory.fm/the-film-board/.