Steve Jobs

Released:  October 9^th, 2015

Rated:  R

Distributor:  Universal Pictures

Starring:  Michael Fassbender, Kate Winslet, Seth Rogen, Jeff Daniels, Michael Stuhlbarg, Katherine Waterston

Directed by:  Danny Boyle

Written by:  Aaron Sorkin

Personal Bias Alert:  not a Sorkin or Apple fan

7 of 10

            Anyone who’s started to get some age on their bones knows the rough story of Apple and has witnessed its meteoric rise over the last seventeen years.  Those with a wary eye would also have noted the mythologizing of the company and its co-founder, Steve Jobs, which has led to both ardent worshiping and simmering animosity.  By now, it would be difficult to wipe from history the notion that Apple led us into the technological revolution, but any such simplistic description of the tectonic cultural shift we’ve experienced would be untrue.  This is what makes the affronted reaction to Steve Jobs so surprising.  Yes, the film isn’t particularly nice to its deceased subject, but its jabs at the man were reported on throughout his life.  This reaction is perhaps indicative of the cultural gullibility that the film hints at, but if writer Aaron Sorkin understood this phenomena, then it begs the question of why he thought the film could be successful at all.

            Then again, Sorkin isn’t known for undervaluing his own abilities, and it doesn’t surprise me to read of the ‘great truths’ he believes he hit upon in this film.  By structuring the film around three different product launches, it’s clear that Sorkin wasn’t going for a traditional biopic.  The film relies instead on thematic work to give it its arc, and the carefully selected characters that reappear throughout are the biggest hints at what Sorkin was reaching for.  Obviously, Jobs himself is in nearly every frame, with Michael Fassbender portraying him as a borderline megalomaniac.  Representing the largest thematic arc, namely the influence of family (or familial figures) on personality is his daughter Lisa (Perla Haney-Jardine, Ripley Sobo, and Makenzie Moss) and father-figure John Sculley (Jeff Daniels).  Through these characters, Jobs’ early life is used to explain his later downfalls, and his character arc and the film’s overall storyline centers on this exploration.  The trouble is that Sorkin doesn’t handle the storyline with Lisa well, and the constant presence of a young girl seems both manipulative and troubling.  What he’s exploring here is a rather simple line to draw, and the overblown way in which Sorkin chooses to examine it is, and I hate to use this word, pretentious.

            The other people surrounding Jobs is a group of long-time coworkers:  confidante Joanna Hoffman (Kate Winslet), co-founder Steve Wozniak (Seth Rogen), and punching bag Andy Hertzfeld (Michael Stuhlbarg).  These are people who have known Jobs intimately throughout his career, and they are mouthpieces for the ramifications of forced mythology.  Again, this theme is hit rather hard, and while Sorkin’s observations on these and other smaller themes are true, they aren’t nearly as insightful as he would have us believe.

            And yet, for all its narrative downfalls, Sorkin still brings his snappy brand of dialogue to the table, which makes Steve Jobs bound along to a strong rhythm.  His pairing with director Danny Boyle proves to be a wonderful choice, as most of the film takes place in dressing rooms and backstage hallways.  Boyle has already made an hour of a man trapped by a rock visually appealing, so I’m sure this was no great stretch.  He doesn’t do anything too flashy, mostly some dynamic lighting and excellent music cues, which hints at what he’s really a master of:  knowing how to work with what he has.  What he had with Steve Jobs is some electric conversations, and he plays up each scene’s ebbs and flows into something that, in the moment, feels satisfying.  It’s just too bad that he and Sorkin weren’t able to find something larger to tie it all together.

Other Notes:

Ø  All of the cast is very good, including Michael Stuhlbarg, who I’m afraid is getting overlooked in favor of the more recognizable cast members.

Ø  This film seems to be getting hit with the ‘isn’t true to real life’ criticism.  I don’t think that was ever the intent here, so the criticism doesn’t seem valid to me.

Ø  In case my feelings on Apple seem relevant to you, here they are.  I generally dislike the company (I hate its incompatibility and prices), but it’s not enough to stop me from owning an IPhone and an IPod.  I’m still a firm PC user, though.