Aaron Sorkin has been praised as one of the best screenwriters working in Hollywood today. Though he has received much acclaim for his work on television with shows like The West Wing and The Newsroom, his movies are another great example of how skilled and compelling a writer he really is.
Sorkin has the ability to craft interesting characters we can root for even when we don’t agree with them. His dialogue has a signature pattern that is a joy to listen to whenever it is spoken on screen. While we hope there are plenty more Aaron Sorkin scripts to enjoy in the future, let’s look back now on his impressive body of work so far. Here are Aaron Sorkin’s best screenplays, ranked.
Malice
Malice is probably the least well-known of Sorkin’s films on this list, but it is still an interesting one worth seeking out if you’re a fan. The thriller stars Bill Pullman and Nicole Kidman whose happy life is turned upside down when they begin renting a room to a local talented doctor (Alec Baldwin) who thinks he can do no wrong in the operating room.
In a departure for Sorkin, the film is a thriller with murder, intrigue and building tension throughout. Sorkin’s dialogue fits perfectly into this kind of story with Baldwin be given some memorable lines. However, the thriller elements are very uneven, and the twists are a little hard to swallow by the end.
Charlie Wilson’s War
Sorkin seems very comfortable operating within a political story and he decided to tackle a real-life story with Charlie Wilson’s War. This Mike Nichols-directed film stars Tom Hanks as Congressman Charlie Wilson who used covert tactics to assist Afghani rebels in their war against the Soviets.
Once again, Sorkin takes the often dry feel of a political story and infuses it with so much spark and humor. It is an entertaining story with a solid cast including Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Julia Roberts, and Amy Adams. Though it doesn’t have the same emotional punch or quite the level of excitement as some of Sorkin’s better work, it remains a solid entry into his filmography.
The American President
The American President feels like Sorkin was warming up for his eventual acclaimed series The West Wing. Like that show this movie explorers big day today mayhem and excitement being in the White House, I’ll be it with a romantic comedy angle which pads a fun charm to the story.
Michael Douglas stars as a widowed president who forms Hey relationship with a Washington political player, played by Annette Benning. As they form a real romance together they are met with various challenges of dating wow in the Oval Office. Sorkin’s dialogue fits perfectly into this sweet romantic comedy and he mesh’s it well with the political intrigue of the situation. This makes for a unique romance that is funny well taking he grounded approach to the story.
Molly’s Game
For the first time in his career, Sorkin stepped behind the camera too direct one of his own scripts with Molly’s Game. Based on a fascinating true story, the film stars Jessica Chastain as Molly Bloom, a former Olympic athlete who makes a name for herself by hosting high stakes poker games.
Sorkin proves himself to be a talented director, but once again, it is his script that is the star of the show. Sorkin does an incredible job of immersing the audience in this exciting world filled with celebrities and big-time gamblers. He also makes Molly a thrilling central character who has flaws yet is easy to root for. It is an entertaining and engrossing look at this strange true story.
Moneyball
Sorting seems to have a talent for making interesting and exciting movies out of seemingly dull subject matter. A film that combines baseball and statistics does not sound too thrilling, but Moneyball turns out to be a highly entertaining true-life story.
The movie stars Brad Pitt as Billy Beane, the general manager for the Oakland Athletics baseball team. Knowing he can’t compete with the richer teams in the Major League, Billy tries a new tactic of using statistics to build a winning team. Once again, Sorkin brings the audience into a world they might not understand and hooks them to the drama of the story. It is a mix of the classic underdog sports film with a smart twist that makes it exciting from beginning to end.
A Few Good Men
Sorkin’s reputation as a skilled Hollywood screenwriter got a major boost when he adapted his own play for the big screen. A Few Good Men is an all-star courtroom drama starring Tom Cruise as an army lawyer tasked with defending two soldiers who accidentally killed a fellow soldier in a hazing incident. However, the soldiers insist they were only carrying out orders from their superiors.
While the talent of the incredible cast adds a lot to this film, Sorkin’s intense and riveting dialogue is the backbone behind some of the movie’s most iconic scenes. He shapes an exciting and interesting legal drama that is intelligent rather than sensationalized. The courtroom scene between Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson remains one of the most famous on-screen battles overall time
Steve Jobs
Sorkin isn’t afraid of taking on some of the biggest names and most influential figures in his stories. Michael Fassbender plays Steve Jobs in this drama which unfolds over three separate product launches throughout his career as Jobs deals backstage with the various complicated relationships in his life.
The ambitious structure of the story works wonderfully to explore this famous man from a variety of angles. We see him as a dedicated and stubborn businessman, a brilliant innovator, and a man who struggles with even is the most important relationships in his life. It’s a fascinating portrait for the famous man without falling into the tired formula of most biopics.
The Social Network
When The Social Network was announced, many people rolled their eyes at the idea of a “Facebook movie”. However, with a script from Aaron Sorkin and with David Fincher directing, it quickly became apparent that there was something special about this project. Indeed, the film is a surprisingly intimate look at Mark Zuckerberg, his creation of the empire and the friendship lost along the way.
Since its release, The Social Network has been praised as many as perhaps the greatest film of the last decade. Sorkin’s script is a gripping, emotional and witty look at the story behind this ground-breaking company told as a Shakespearean tragedy. It is a brilliant film that, despite its subject matter, will stand the test of time.
