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.

Insurgent

Released:  March 20^th, 2015

Rated:  PG-13

Distributor:  Lionsgate

Starring:  Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Octavia Spencer, Jai Courtney, Ray Stevenson, Zoë Kravitz, Miles Teller, Ansel Elgort, Maggie Q, Naomi Watts, Kate Winslet

Directed by:  Robert Schwentke

Written by:  Brian Duffield, Akiva Goldsman, Mark Bomback

Personal Bias Alert:  liked its predecessor, read the book

5.3 of 10

            In defense of this film, I would like to point out that its source material isn’t that great.  I thoroughly enjoyed reading Divergent, even if it was a familiar and ham-fisted plot.  That’s why reading Insurgent was such a letdown, as the few interesting ideas that were present in the previous installment were dropped and the book became a chore to read.  The simple fact is that its author, Veronica Roth, struggles with plotting, character, and emotional description, leaving you with some thoroughly pedestrian writing.  That this series came after the popular and very well-written Hunger Games only accentuates its downfalls, so it comes as no surprise to me that the movie series takes a similar step back in its second outing.

            Insurgent picks up mere days after the events of Divergent, with heroine Tris (Shailene Woodley), boyfriend Four (Theo James), Brother Caleb (Ansel Elgort), and fickle alliance member Peter (Miles Teller) hiding out from the Erudite-Dauntless members who are trying to overthrow their society.  Remember, their dystopian society is based on splitting everyone up into different factions based on personality, making divergents like Tris and Four, who exhibit traits from several factions, extremely dangerous.  That last fact can mostly be forgotten, though, as Insurgent focuses more on Tris and Four’s attempt to take down the mastermind of the Erudite-Dauntless alliance, Jeanine (Kate Winslet), than any major attempts to root out divergents.

            One of the major downfalls that the Insurgent film is forced to carry over from the book is the overwhelming amount of plot.  In fact, the second book ends where most series would end, cramming what should have been two books into one so it can go off to who knows where in its third outing (which I haven’t read).  Pretty much everything else is sacrificed, most notably any hint of world building even as it introduces the audience to new factions within this society.  Without any examination, each new place feels so cookie-cutter thin that the system makes even less sense here than in the first film, and too often explosion-heavy dialogue is leaned on so it all makes sense.

            This was adapted by a trio of writers (which is rarely a good sign), none of whom have stellar track records (an even worse sign).  As I’ve said, they were given rough source material to work with, and even if they failed in certain areas, they did reconfigure the plot into a streamlined, quick-paced action story.  This, along with the brisk score, is the saving grace of the film, as any faults are quickly forgotten as you try to keep up with all the new developments.  Revelations and twists are being thrown at you constantly, and even though it’s frustrating that they aren’t being explored, Insurgent is a thoroughly entertaining ride while you’re on it.

            The Divergent series is rightly accused of being derivative of other YA series, but the film series does face one unique challenge:  almost every actor has a robust career outside the series.  Winslet, Naomi Watts, and Octavia Spencer have all been part of many financially and critically successful films over the past decade, and much of the younger cast have found similar balance in their careers since Divergent’s release.  Winslet, Teller, and Jai Courtney were so busy they were actually filming other movies at the same time as Insurgent, and perhaps it’s the combination of everyone’s busy schedules and the lackluster material that led to the uninspired performances that permeate this film.  Everyone seems only mildly focused, more spitting out the lines than imbuing them with any meaning.  The biggest letdown that stems from this is the complete disintegration of Tris and Four’s relationship, which Woodley and James pulled off quite nicely in the first film but feels entirely wooden here.

             There’s advantages and disadvantages to a dense plot, and most of them can be found in Insurgent.  While it barrels right along at a pleasing pace, it isn’t very engaging from an emotional standpoint, leaving the film entertainingly shallow.  You likely won’t hate it while you’re watching it, but you’ll also probably forget it as soon as the lights come up.

Other Notes:

Ø  The action is a bit underwhelming, with lots of running and gun fighting that is off-puttingly shot, and there’s nothing anywhere near as visually interesting as the fear simulations from Divergent.

Ø  Random Janet McTeer!

Ø  This is the first film I saw in Carmike’s ‘Big D’ format, which features a larger screen, bigger sound, and nicer seats.  The seats were comfy, but the larger screen made shots seem vaguely blurry and the sound was far too loud.