Every once in a while, the Twitter film community decides to wake up and choose violence. This time, the target is David Fincher and, as someone who still hasn’t forgiven Netflix for leaving Mindhunter in limbo, I feel personally attacked. A recent post on X has gone somewhat viral, racking up more than two million views and well over 23,000 likes, all because it dares to suggest that Fincher “fell off so bad.” That’s the actual phrasing--crying emojis and all--and the Mindhunter fan in me is absolutely outraged.
Film Twitter Says David Fincher Fell Off
The tweet, shared by X user @mistonvinyl, includes a screenshot of Fincher’s films listed by release date, starting with the wonderfully creepy thriller flick Zodiac and running through the, at the time, buzzy Netflix's The Killer, capped off with the upcoming The Adventures of Cliff Booth. The caption reads, “this is wicked work man… he fell off so bad,” as if this is some kind of universally accepted truth and not an invitation for chaos.
In the time since it went up, the post spread and has been quote-tweeted into oblivion. Also, it's somehow seemingly convinced a sizable chunk of the internet that one of the most meticulous directors of the last 25 years suddenly forgot how to make movies.
Here’s the thing. Even if you weren’t in love with The Killer, which got three out of five-star review, calling it proof of a creative downfall feels wildly off-base. The Michael Fassbender-led film earned generally positive reviews, with plenty of critics praising its icy tone, procedural patience and very Fincher-specific commitment to detail. Was it everyone’s favorite? No. Was it some embarrassing misfire? Also, no. Disliking a movie is not the same thing as a director “falling off,” no matter how many likes the tweet gets.
And then there’s the Hollywood historical picture, Mank, which this narrative conveniently glosses over. That movie picked up 10 Academy Award nominations at the 2021 Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director. You don’t accidentally stumble into that kind of recognition while allegedly losing your touch. You can argue about whether Mank connected emotionally, but from a craft standpoint, it was Fincher doing exactly what he’s always done: obsessing over form, tone, and historical texture in a way very few filmmakers even attempt.
But where are Fincher fans on this take? Well, the replies are all over the place.
The Replies Might Be Even Wilder Than The Fincher Tweet
Once the post started circulating, other X users wasted no time jumping in, and the replies paint a much messier picture than the original claim:
- @Vinod_r108: “Literally not one of these is bad, so I’m confused about what you’re trying to argue.”
- @LeahRayAFC: “Normalise explaining who the tweet is referring to.”
- @kuuroishi: “Omg.. what happened to him.
- @Lil_Luna_IRL: “I really hope that at the peak of my career, I won't experience this decline. I just want to keep on getting better.”
- @cristinafoxtv: “That run is still insane though.”
- @teroteroter: "I remember when people pretended Mank was good - and the entire dialogue was cobbled together from scathing one liners from celeb bios. Nobody talks like that because every line was a zinger from some book."
- @brownsamwell: "Mank Forever"
- @LifeWithAnnaS: “That run was insane though, hard to top.”
That last point is really the key. David Fincher’s early and mid-career run set the bar absurdly high. Not matching Zodiac or The Social Network every single time isn’t the same thing as falling off. It’s just what happens when expectations get unrealistic for a director who continuously makes strong work.
The internet loves a clean rise-and-fall narrative, especially when it fits neatly into a screenshot. But zoom out, and this take doesn’t hold up. Fincher is still making deliberate, controlled, technically sharp projects on his own terms. And, if Mindhunter ever returns, which I have serious doubts about, this whole conversation is going to look even more ridiculous in hindsight.
