Review of Steve Jobs (2015) by Brian S — 02 Jun 2016

The life of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs has struck an understandable cord with Hollywood since his untimely death in 2011 (six films-three of which have been documentary and three narrative features-have been released since then and 2016) as it contains many hallmarks that screenwriters would normally fictionalize.

Jobs started one of the most successful American companies in history, became known as a maverick with a huge, confrontational personality within his field and changed the world in doing so-becoming a modern mythological centerpiece.

So far out of the feature films about him one has been satire (Funny or Die's 2013 iSteve was marketed as "The First Steve Jobs Movie"), the other melodrama (2013s Ashton Kutcher droll-inducing Jobs was a rushed product) but until now, 2015s Danny Boyle-directed Steve Jobs, there is an interpretation to the person that is satisfying all across the circuit boards.

Written in the quick-witted and fast talking prose of Aaron Sorkin, the structure of the plot is a unique one and the actors (including Michael Fassbender as the titular role) that inhabit the characters do a fine effort in making the most out the material.

The main issue with Steve Jobs is not technical or the acting ability but lands squarely on Sorkin's three-act structure, which encompasses a fourteen-year journey that only takes place in three locations.

The idea is a novel one and thematically fits within the Apple mantra of "Think Different" but it arguably requires more of a suspension of disbelief as characters, actions and plot points all hit right around the same time in each scenario.

By the third act for example, one could anticipate when Jeff Daniels character of John Scully would pop up or when Jobs would have an argumentative discussion with his old friend Steve Wozniak (performed with great restraint by Seth Rogen).

This repetition does hinder the experience to a degree but it is difficult not to admire the dialogue from Sorkin, the direction from Boyle (he makes the most out of the limited space, similar to what he did with 2010s 127 Hours), the great performances (Fassbender and Kate Winslet stand out) among other things that make Steve Jobs a worthy watch on your iPhone, iPad or Apple TV.