r/moviecritic • u/mortalassassin • 6h ago
The Social Reckoning MortalReview - A Must Watch movie for the Algortihm Age- 91/100 [No Spoilers]
Here is my review. It is written by me. Sorry for any grammar or spelling mistakes. I write in bullet points. I know this is not for everyone, but it is just my style. Be warned.
For those who are familiar with my reviews, you will know that I usually rank movies in the 50s, 60s, or 70s, so the high rating here is unusual for me. If anyone wants to compare it to my other reviews on IMDb, Metacritic, Letterboxd, or Rotten Tomatoes, let me know, but otherwise, I am all about the conversation here.
- An absolutely exceptional movie. In some ways, masterfully done. The most important thing for me about any movie is not how artistic it is or how difficult it is, but how entertaining it is. I was entertained and emotionally moved from start to end, all while the movie addresses one of the most important issues of our generation. It examines social media, algorithms, corporate responsibility, and political extremism. It is, IMO, essential viewing for all, particularly for parents, young people, and those interested in politics or tech.
- The acting overall is excellent, with Bill Burr being the particular highlight for me. They make the complicated material engaging. However, Jeremy Strong was never strong as Mark Zuckerberg. Zuck is a well-known public figure, and Strong doesn't capture him based on how we know him. He felt like a fictional executive rather than the person himself. Jesse Eisenberg did a better and more convincing job in The Social Network (which I think most would say is the better movie, but I am adding points here for the message). Some other characters felt slightly stereotypical, and that reduced the realism. But overall, strong acting, even if nobody is winning an Oscar.
- I wanted more emphasis on children's mental health and a broader political perspective. Sure, I get the plot device and focus on extremism and Capitol riots. But more attention to Instagram, body image, anxiety, and the psychological consequences for children and teens is what could unite the audience more. Everyone cares about kids. The film could have examined algorithmic manipulation across more political movements than the alt-right, where supported by evidence, reinforcing that protecting people's well-being should transcend partisan divisions.
- For a drama movie, there could have been considerably more human drama. The movie does a lot of telling instead of showing. It literally just tells you what you need to take away through conversations and information rather than showing ordinary people living through these experiences. The latter, I think, is a better storytelling device. I wanted to experience the effects on children, parents, and families directly. Not just hear about them. Sure, the movie succeeds intellectually, but seeing the human consequences creates one of the most impactful things a movie can: an emotional connection with the viewer. Show, don't tell!
- The movie also comes out in 2026, which I felt meant it missed some opportunities. This would have been a timely movie in 2022. But now we are several years later. Not that much has changed. Yes, our understanding has. Yes, we take the conversations more seriously. But did Facebook/Meta really change that much? The audience is left with too optimistic a message at the ending. More on that in the next point. But yes, that is also misleading the audience. The audience should know that the problems did not simply disappear once the wrongdoing became public.
- The ending felt too victorious. I understand the basketball analogy. Why is he celebrating a tie? Throwing his fist into the air. It means they get into overtime. It is not won yet. But still important. Agreed. Overall, the movie is really good at small things. I think the funny lines and comedy land well. I felt the movie was funny in many parts, and I was laughing and entertained. I felt rewarded for following the movie, with many pieces of dialogue being used again later, where you think, "Ooo, I see what they did there. They used that from earlier in the movie!" The whistleblowers deserve recognition, but the hearings did not lead to sufficient change, and years later, we are still playing overtime. I wish the movie had made that unfinished struggle much clearer.
- So yes, I think this was an exceptional film. My only other 2026 movie besides Project Hail Mary to score in the 90s. I left the cinema with the amazing feeling of "I am entertained." Yes, I give this movie probably a bit too high a rating if you look at it only from a filmmaking standpoint, e.g., editing, pacing, cinematography, technical difficulty, acting, plot, emotional connection, dialogue, filming, movie effects, costumes and design, and so on. Probably too high, but I was entertained, and it is a movie I hope many watch, so I give it some extra points.
- We need conversations. This movie starts conversations. It does this exceptionally well. It is a deeply important movie about the power of social media and the responsibility of technology companies that can be shown to the masses.
Thank you for reading. I look forward to your comments.
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u/Busy-Imagination-304 6h ago
my biggest issue with the ending is exactly what you pointed out about the victory lap feeling unearned. bill burr was surprisingly good though, didn't expect him to carry that much dramatic weight but he really pulled it off
the basketball metaphor works on paper but the real world didn't even get to overtime, we're still in the first quarter and half the team doesn't even know there's a game happening