Aaron Sorkin Still Believes in American Institutions, Even if No One Else Does
The walk-and-talks. The soaring monologues. Aaron Sorkin has, for the last quarter-century, dramatized the institutions at the center of American society. From his first play, “A Few Good Men,” in 1989, which he then adapted into the blockbuster movie (and is now bringing back to Broadway), to “The West Wing,” “The American President,” “The Newsroom” and beyond, Sorkin has created work that in many ways has shaped our understanding of how politics, the media and the military work. Or should work.
TL;DR
- Aaron Sorkin has spent 25 years dramatizing American institutions in works like "A Few Good Men," "The West Wing," and "The Social Network."
- His new film, "The Social Reckoning," focuses on Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen and the company's awareness of its platforms' negative effects.
- Sorkin acknowledges his tendency towards idealism and romanticism in his writing, which he defends as an intentional stylistic choice.
- He views his work as primarily about good storytelling, not political agendas, and aims for entertainment value.
- Sorkin initially hesitated to make another Facebook-related film but found his story when he learned about Frances Haugen and Jeff Horwitz.