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.

Trainspotting

Released:  July 19th, 1996
Rated:  R

Studio:  Miramax

Staring:  Ewan McGregor, Ewen Bremner, Jonny Lee Miller, Kevin McKidd, Robert Carlyle, Kelly Macdonald

Directed by:  Danny Boyle

Written by:  John Hodge

Personal Bias Alert:  has a dark sense of humor, doesn’t do drugs

9 of 10

           Ain’t Danny Boyle great?  He’s got such flair, such style.  His films are peppy; they bounce off the walls, threatening to burst out of the screen.  He notably hopped for joy on the Oscar stage, explaining that he had promised his children to receive the moment in the spirit of Tiger from Winnie the Pooh if he was so lucky to win.  Although, he’s never apologized for his spirit.  He palpably loves filmmaking, and that energy makes me predisposed to liking his films because, hey, I love films, too.

            “Trainspotting” is one of his more effervescent directorial efforts, bounding along through its character’s lives even when there’s dark turns.  It’s easy to forget, especially early on in the film, how crappy these people’s lives really are.  They’re all heroin addicts, bumbling from hit to hit, constantly broke, willing to degrade themselves to maintain their habit.  But Boyle keeps us slightly removed from the proceedings, and the camera observes them with an arched brow, like the friend who hangs around because he finds your antics amusing.

            The main group is a volatile hoot, each so lost to their own individual faults that you know they can’t exist together for long without blowing something up.  Most often it’s their own lives that go down, and in the lesser falls Boyle and editor Masahiro Hirakubo find their comedy stride.  For instance, I was laughing aloud when main character Renton (Ewan McGregor) was listing off the things you need to quite heroin and ends matter-of-factly with “one last hit.”  We all know that attitude is a recipe for failure, and the editing and accompanying music cues invite us to laugh at Renton’s dreary situation.

            There is a turn, about thirty minutes in, when their situation stops being funny.  It’s a perfectly timed transition, having allowed us the space to connect and sympathize with the characters before the rug is pulled out from under us.  While the comedy largely gets left behind, the movie continues to amble on at its lively pace, which dulls the blows it continuously hits us with.  The events in this film are just as disturbing and hopeless as anything seen in other drug horror stories like “Requiem for a Dream” or “A Scanner Darkly,” but Boyle wisely avoids making things too dour.  We all know the destructive power of addiction, and perhaps this sort of presentation gives us a better idea of why people cling to it so fervently.  But what do I know, I’ve never been an addict.

             As I’ve mentioned before, the camerawork has a strong influence on how the audience views the proceedings.  It responds to the mood of the scene, drawing the audience along for the ride.  It jostles when a character’s excited, observes the absurd humor of a situation, and wraps you up in a rug to carry you through a high (that literally happens).  Boyle is known for his creative camerawork, and here it is integral to maintaining the film’s pace.  Through the darkest moments it tugs you right along, never allowing you to dwell on any one disaster.

            “Trainspotting” is a fast-paced little film, jamming in an absurd amount of story in 93 minutes.  The plot points aren’t always as fleshed out as they could be, but it’s an acceptable sacrifice in light of the tone the film is able to hit.  It won’t leave you smiling, but it’s one of the more enjoyable ways to spend time with self-absorbed drug addicts.

            Other Notes:

Ø  Oh Miramax, I miss you what you used to be.

Ø  Those shots of McGregor falling and hitting his head make me cringe.  How did they film those without hurting him?

Ø  “What a penetrating goal that was.”  He he, context.

Ø  Did I miss the train?