Aaron Sorkin admits directing 'The Social Reckoning' exposed his visual weaknesses

Aaron Sorkin acknowledged that his first attempt at directing a major studio film, The Social Reckoning, revealed a gap in his technical skills that he cannot easily fix. The movie, which explores Facebook's internal knowledge of its societal impact, was released nationwide on October 9 by Sony. It earned a production budget of $40 million but has grossed only $15 million worldwide. Critical reception has been mixed, with the film currently sitting at 54 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.

Sorkin, who received the Maverick Director Award at the Newport Beach Film Festival, stated he was the second choice to direct the project. He explained that David Fincher, who directed Sorkin's earlier Facebook film The Social Network, was unavailable due to an exclusive deal with Netflix. Sorkin noted he would have preferred Fincher to helm the new picture, but financial and contractual realities placed Sorkin behind the camera instead.

The 65-year-old screenwriter said he is concerned that his shortcomings in directing relate to innate talent rather than learnable mechanics. He compared the challenge to the concept of 'talent' in screenwriting, arguing that while some aspects of writing can be taught, the core creative impulse cannot be acquired. Sorkin admitted he lacks visual sensibility and was surprised by how little of the science of filmmaking he had absorbed prior to this production.

He cited his experience with previous directors, including Rob Reiner and Danny Boyle, as a primary source of his education. However, he emphasized that the learning curve for camera work proved steeper than expected. Sorkin compared his current feeling to a football coach who insists the elements for a win were present but failed to come together, expressing hope that future opportunities will allow him to master these components.

Sorkin has written screenplays for 35 years, including The Social Network, Moneyball, and The Trial of the Chicago 7. He has directed four features, with The Social Reckoning marking his fourth effort in that role. The film stars Mikey Madison as the whistleblower and Jeremy Allen White as a journalist, with Jeremy Strong portraying Mark Zuckerberg.

In discussing the current market, Sorkin observed that most of his previous films would likely be streaming series today rather than theatrical features. He noted that The Social Reckoning is the eleventh movie he has written, and he believes only A Few Good Men would still qualify as a standard feature film under current industry conditions.