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The social network considered by many to be an outstanding piece of cinema. We ranked it very highly on our coverage of the best films of the century so far, so the pressure was definitely on for its semi-sequel, The Social Account.Can it live up to the legacy of the first film, and, better question, can it stand on its own? Let’s find out.
The Social Account Mikey Madison stars as Frances Haugen, a data engineer over at Facebook who becomes disaffected with her employer over how the company has changed the way people use the platform. She has discovered that Facebook’s new algorithm seems to feed on hate and negative content and perhaps even radical users. Unfortunately, no one on the inside wants to stir the pot on this topic, which forces her to cross paths with The Wall Street Journal’s new tech writer, Jeff Horwitz (Jeremy Allen White). Despite his job title, he doesn’t know much about technology, but he’s made a name for himself in DC as a political investigative journalist, something he hopes to apply to his investigation of Facebook.
The Social Network Director David Fincher helms this spirited series, allowing that film’s writer, Aaron Sorkin, to pull double duty as director and writer. Sorkin, love him or hate him, is a prolific writer, but his directorial efforts haven’t quite been on par with his other projects. Counting continues with that trend. He doesn’t seem like a bad director, but compared to someone like Fincher, he just has a lot of style and talent, opting for a safer and less risky direction. Script, this entry actually feels a little more relaxed for a Sorkin picture. Yes, there is impossible dialogue, as is traditional, but it feels a little more explored. I had looked recently The social network in anticipation of this film, and that film’s dialogue feels sharper and faster than this one.
Unlikely Network, Counting it’s not a startup story about ambitious geniuses, but a journalistic story chronicling The Wall Street Journal’s 17-part series, The Facebook Files. It also includes the policies and influence of the platform during the January 6 Revolution and the COVID pandemic, but they feel more like footnotes. I think a six-part mini-series for the three years covered by the film might have allowed some of these hits to be explored more deeply. There’s a lot going on in this film, from exploring Facebook’s dark secrets to a whistleblower and investigative angle.
Everyone in the film works hard. Allen White is good as Horowitz, maybe not too far from his turn as Carmine in The bear. Mikey Madison is doing better than Frances, a neutral employee at Facebook who sees value in a platform like Facebook, but questions the direction the company is going. Bill Burr appears as a mischievous character who serves as a moral compass, challenging the status quo, and Burr is perhaps the best in the entire film, sparring verbally with Strong’s Zuckberg at all times. Also in the film, but not as much as you might think, is Jeremy Strong as Mark Zuckerberg, taking over from Jesse Eisenberg. Strong plays the role admirably, getting into that robotic edge and mannerisms that sometimes make Zuckerberg feel unapproachable at best, or unlikeable at worst. Zuck is not a real character here, unlike the first film, but the poster child for the company’s problems. Strong has a great role, but don’t expect to learn much about the Facebook CEO in this movie. This is not about it.
Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor won’t be returning to score this one, so Alexandre Desplat is giving us a fresh new sound for this entry, and I, for one, missed the relentless and unique score from Social Network. Desplat’s work is good, but it feels at odds with a more nihilistic and gloomy reality Counting gifts Sometimes the score can move to optimistic hope, as if there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and it feels completely out of place. Counting also shares the same cinematographer as The social network, Jeff Cronenweth, but surprisingly, both films do not look or feel anything; I was surprised to learn that he was the same person responsible for the photos.
The real me wonders if “Counting” the best title for this movie really. There isn’t one in the real world, or in the movie, because Facebook (now Meta) is still around and worth more than it was just a few years ago.
The question then becomes: did this film finally justify its existence? In a way. I think the message of telling people about the WSJ’s findings is commendable, as many people seem to have skipped it, but the film may be too late to care. Meta may be raking in the dough, but Facebook itself is no longer the social powerhouse it used to be. Perhaps this could have looked on a different platform, taken a more poetic approach. Also, AI is the new thing, for better or worse, and social media companies are getting more into this technology. The question now is not whether Facebook is addictive or manipulative, but whether AI is going to take my job or go rogue.
So to answer my first question: yes The Social Account worth seeing? Overall, I think so. He is good movie, with strong performances from its cast, a sharp script, and it feels informative. But maybe it’s also a few years too late and lacks the cinematic talent of its predecessor, which keeps it from being a great film. So if you’re into searches, or if you’re unfamiliar with the Facebook Files, I’d say this is a great companion Networkbut the film was not the cultural touchstone. Is it unfair to compare the two? Maybe a little, but they are spiritual series and they share the same writer, so comparison is inevitable.
