Aaron Sorkin’s 5 Most Prolific Movies

Aaron Sorkin is an American screenwriter who has been the man behind some of the best movies to grace our screens. He has dived into movies, such as The Social Network, and the poker movie Molly’s Game, theatre productions, as well as TV shows, but this list will cover Aaron Sorkin’s 5 Most Prolific Movies.

The Social Network 

One of his most successful movies has to be The Social Network. The movie takes you on a journey through the life of Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg, from when he started Facebook in his dorm room, all the way to being the social media powerhouse he is today. 

Considering many people already knew quite a lot about Zuckerbeg and Facebook before the movie came out, the actors and story is what drove the success of the film. It is interesting, exciting, and weirdly riveting, even though you know how it is going to end. 

Even though the Social Network was a hit, it missed the mark in some way by simply ‘Hollywood’fying’ aspects of the story. Some of it is made up and just not true, and even though turning Zuckerberg into this punk, “stick it to the man” billionaire was well received by audiences, it just isn’t who he is. Either way, The Social Network is a great film, and a must-watch if you haven’t seen it already.

A Few Good Men

A Few Good Men follows JAG lawyer Daneil Kaffee, played by Tom Cruise, as he defends two marines accused of murder. A Few Good Men is considered Sorkin’s breakout movie, and the first one he adapted from stage to screen. 

The 1992 film sees Jack Nicholson playing one of the accused, and is also the character to deliver one of the most iconic lines in film history, “You want the truth? You can’t handle the truth”.

 

The movie has drama, the story is loosely based on a real life event that Sorkin’s sister who is a real life JAG lawyer had heard, but once again, the acting is what turns a fairly overdone plot into the incredible movie it is. 

Moneyball 

Moneyball, based on real events, sees Brad Pitt as the manager of a baseball team, who, with a very limited budget, hires Peter Brand (Jonah Hill), to create an algorithm that will allow them to scout talent, without breaking the bank. 

The movie is a true underdog type story, the team made up of players that no one else wanted coming together to go on an incredible win streak. Considering it is based on true events, the feel good aspect of the movie is most definitely a reason to watch. 

While it may not have the same drama and excitement as other movies of Sorkin’s, it is still one of those that you should watch, simply for the feel good aspect, and who can say no to a great underdog story?

Malice 

Malice is a bizarre ride that includes a professor, his art teaching wife, a surgeon who lives with them that has a God complex, and a serial rapist and murderer that involves themselves in the story too. 

Many people have described the movie as jam packed, with the audience barely given time to process one thing, before the next incident is thrown their way. One critic even said it is the “only movie I can recall in which an entire subplot about a serial killer is thrown in simply for atmosphere”. 

There is a lot going on in this movie, but in a way it is controlled chaos. It’s weird, off the wall, you can’t decide who’s stranger between the serial killer or the weird surgeon living with the main characters. The story is definitely edge of your seat stuff, with red herrings and twists around every corner. 

Charlie Wilson’s War

This biographical comedy-drama sees Charlie Wilson (Tom Hanks), who is a US congressman, team up with a CIA operative known as Gust Avrakotos, to help the mujahideen in Afghanistan fight off the occupying Soviet Union. 

Wilson, with help from his CIA and government friends, helped train and arm the mujahideen, giving them the weapons they desperately needed, as well as further funding for consumables and ammunition. 

This effort is added to by Egypt and Israel, with the whole thing becoming U.S foreign policy known as the Reagan Doctrine, which allowed the U.S to not only help the mujahideen, but all other anti-communist forces. 

The cast is incredible, and the comedy mixed with real life drama is what sets this movie apart, and whether you are a fan or war or politics based movies or not, this is another must-see. 

Andy Sorkin has been known to create movies and theatre productions that are a bit different, whether it be how he portrays real life characters or stories, or how bizarre he goes with his fiction, his movies definitely have a difference that is hard to match. 

Yes, some of these aren’t for everyone, whether it be the script or character choice, or the general story, however, they are definitely movies you should watch at least one, you never know, maybe you’re a massive Sorkin fan and you just haven’t realised it yet.