From Vanity Fair · Julia Black · · 1m 50s
Why Luca Guadagnino's 'Artificial' Works and Aaron Sorkin's 'The Social Reckoning' Doesn’t
Luca Guadagnino's 'Artificial' realistically depicts AI's dangers while Aaron Sorkin's 'The Social Reckoning' oversimplifies Facebook's ethics.
In brief
Luca Guadagnino's 'Artificial' realistically depicts AI's dangers while Aaron Sorkin's 'The Social Reckoning' oversimplifies Facebook's ethics. Luca Guadagnino's 'Artificial' accurately portrays AI's societal risks, whereas Aaron Sorkin's 'The Social Reckoning' fails to capture Facebook's ethical complexities…
Artificial vs. The Social Reckoning
Julia and Hillary compare Luca Guadagnino's 'Artificial' to Aaron Sorkin's 'The Social Reckoning' for accuracy in depicting tech ethics.
“Artificial is a 'like.' The Social Reckoning ... I forget, do Facebook posts have a thumbs-down option?”
The Social Network Blueprint
Both films follow The Social Network's blueprint but fall short, with Sorkin's work suffering more due to dated relevance.
“The real problem... neither movie gets even close to the heights of that one, in my opinion, and both suffer by comparison, but TSR suffers a lot more.”
Sorkin's Facebook Missteps
Sorkin's characters misunderstand tech basics, like Jeff Horwitz not knowing Google Maps in 2019.
“In his version of events, Wall Street Journal tech reporter Jeff Horwitz does not know how to use Google Maps. In the year 2019.”
Frances Haugen's Naivety
Frances Haugen's character remains optimistic about Facebook's democratizing vision despite real-world testimony.
“I’m trying to decide how annoyed to be about the naïveté of Frances Haugen’s character, who somehow still believes in Facebook’s democratizing vision in the year 2021”
Sorkin's Character Dynamics
Sorkin's characters show hostility toward tech reporters, reflecting his preference for mean women who mock him.
“her weird hostility toward Jeff, she’s always insulting his intelligence and how he works”
Jeremy Strong's Performance
Jeremy Strong's portrayal of Zuckerberg feels robotic, contrasting with Jesse Eisenberg's more human Mark Zuckerberg in The Social Network.
“Strong’s Zuck has gone full automaton, which is I guess the point? But he also makes much less of an impression than Eisenberg did”
AI Realism in Artificial
Artificial shows AI's societal impact through realistic character corruption, unlike Sorkin's oversimplified approach.
“Artificial, though, ends with a scene that convincingly conveys the extent to which AI will ruin all our lives.”
OpenAI's Hidden Details
Artificial reveals OpenAI's internal dynamics, including Ilya Sutskever as the tragic hero.
“I loved the decision to frame Ilya Sutskever as the tragic hero. Had you heard of him before seeing the film?”
Sorkin's Activism Overshadows Art
Sorkin's activism in The Social Reckoning cheapens the film by making it feel overly political rather than nuanced.
“only in Sorkin’s case was the activism so bald-faced that it cheapened the art.”
Real-World Impact
The Social Reckoning fails to show Facebook's ongoing harm despite Frances Haugen's testimony.
“But in the years since, it’s not like Meta’s products have gotten any less dangerous or addictive.”
Artificial's Social Relevance
Artificial accurately portrays AI's societal risks, making it feel urgent and relevant to current concerns.
“the way Artificial played like a horror movie felt incredibly true to this moment, where so many of us are just starting to feel sick to our stomachs.”
Viewpoint on Tech Films
Tech films need strong storytelling to engage audiences beyond Silicon Valley.
“If anything, the glut of similarly themed projects could be a rising tide that lifts all boats, because regular people will be curious about the ways in which different artists interpret similar-seeming material.”
The essence
Luca Guadagnino's 'Artificial' accurately portrays AI's societal risks, whereas Aaron Sorkin's 'The Social Reckoning' fails to capture Facebook's ethical complexities.
