Ninja TV: The Social Reckoning is now in theaters

The Social Reckoning hits theaters today, continuing the story of Facebook and the 2010 film The Social Network. This time, the focus is not on the company’s creation, but on The Wall Street Journal’s 2021 investigation.

The film follows former Facebook employee Frances Haugen and journalist Jeff Horwitz. Haugen gave him internal company research and documents about the impact of Facebook and Instagram on users, how the algorithms worked, and problems with content moderation. The materials showed that people inside Facebook were aware of a number of risks linked to its platforms and became the basis for The Facebook Files series, which brought the company another wave of criticism and increased scrutiny from regulators.

What is the film about?

Frances Haugen works at Facebook and gains access to the company’s internal research. After leaving, she gives the documents to The Wall Street Journal reporter Jeff Horwitz, who begins reviewing them with his colleagues.

The investigation focused on how Facebook and Instagram operated. The documents included research into Instagram’s impact on the mental health of some teenagers, a separate moderation system for high-profile users, and Facebook algorithms that could amplify divisive and emotionally charged content.

In 2021, The Wall Street Journal published The Facebook Files based on these materials. Haugen later revealed her identity and testified before the U.S. Senate. These events became the basis for The Social Reckoning.

How is the film connected to The Social Network?

The Social Reckoning is not a direct continuation of the first film’s plot. The Social Network told the story of Facebook’s creation and the conflict between its founders, while the new film moves the story forward by a decade and looks at what had become one of the world’s largest technology companies.

Aaron Sorkin, who won an Oscar for the screenplay of The Social Network, returns for the new film. He is known for scenes built around fast, information-heavy dialogue, with characters arguing, interrupting each other, and covering a lot of ground in just a few minutes. In The Social Reckoning, Sorkin not only wrote the screenplay but also directed the film.

David Fincher, who directed The Social Network, did not return for the sequel. Jesse Eisenberg is also not back as Mark Zuckerberg: this time, the Facebook founder is played by Jeremy Strong.

Key cast

Frances Haugen is played by Mikey Madison, who won an Oscar for her leading role in Anora. She also appeared in Scream and Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood.

Journalist Jeff Horwitz is played by Jeremy Allen White, known for The Bear and Shameless. Mark Zuckerberg is portrayed by Jeremy Strong, star of Succession.

The cast also includes Bill Burr, Betty Gilpin, Wunmi Mosaku, and Billy Magnussen.

What are critics saying?

Early reviews of The Social Reckoning have been mixed. Critics praise the performances of Mikey Madison and Jeremy Allen White, as well as the tense scenes built around conversations and arguments.

At the same time, the film is constantly being compared with The Social Network. Some reviewers feel that the new film lacks David Fincher’s distinctive visual style and the more nuanced approach to its characters that made the 2010 film so memorable.

Where to watch?

The Social Reckoning opened in theaters on October 9. A digital release date has not yet been announced.

The Social Reckoning is better discussed over Ninja Sushi

A film like this gives you plenty to talk about with friends. How much do social media platforms affect our lives? How much do algorithms already shape what we see and choose? And what could all of this mean for us in the future?

Those conversations are even better over your favorite Ninja Sushi set.