Review of Jobs (2013) by Judge L — 16 Aug 2014

Steve Jobs is one of the most fascinating figures in recent history. With such an interesting subject, a biopic movie, like this one, comes down to casting, storytelling, and presentation. Against the odds, the casting is good.

When it comes to casting the role of Steve Jobs, Ashton Kutcher would never enter my thoughts. I generally believe he is best suited for comedy and when he attempts a serious role, the results are not pretty.

It turns out with a different haircut and the option of a beard Ashton resembles Steve Jobs, particularly in his younger days. To my surprise, Kutcher also pulls off the walk, speech nuances, and some of the more identifiable public mannerisms.

Indeed, Ashton's performance is a pleasant surprise. Josh Gad is also good as Steve Wozniak; it is sad that his part is not a little bigger. The storytelling and presentation, however, are not quite there.

It is not that it is boring, but it lacks feeling and excitement. The beginning of the story feels rushed, robbing us of an important understanding of who Steve Jobs really was before Apple. The movie skims Jobs' personal life in the most awkward of ways.

It makes a distracting tangent about an out-of-wedlock child, but then fails to see that part of the story through. There is no explanation or focus on how this affects him. Huge portions of his life are missing, particularly the time while he is away from Apple.

Far too much focus goes into the decline of Apple during the 80s and the eventual firing of Jobs. It leaves out too much and makes things feel like things happen in a rather sterile way. It fails to make the emotional connections to the characters, including Jobs.

Joshua Michael Stern does not have an impressive resume as producer and director. It is unfortunate that a more skilled filmmaker, like David Fincher (The Social Network) did not get this project.