'The Social Reckoning' Review | Good… But It Should’ve Been Great

About this episode

In this episode of the Movie Files Podcast, I’m reviewing The Social Reckoning (2026), the new biographical legal thriller written and directed by Aaron Sorkin and starring Mikey Madison, Jeremy Allen White, Jeremy Strong, Bill Burr, Wunmi Mosaku, Betty Gilpin, and Billy Magnussen. There’s a lot I like about this movie. The subject matter surrounding Facebook, Meta, algorithms, misinformation, online radicalization, whistleblowers, and the power these massive companies have over the information people see is incredibly relevant. Aaron Sorkin’s writing is still sharp, fast, clever, and full of that signature dialogue where everybody feels like the smartest person in the room. Jeremy Allen White understands that rhythm perfectly and gives one of the strongest performances in the movie. Mikey Madison took a little longer to win me over, but by the end I thought she was really strong, and Bill Burr ended up being one of the biggest surprises. But the biggest issue for me is the direction. For a story dealing with material this dark, dangerous, and timely, The Social Reckoning often feels too safe. The filmmaking doesn’t always match the weight of what Sorkin is writing, and watchin