I am not a
member of the Apple cult, nor did I have any interest in the life of its
founder prior to watching Danny Boyle’s untraditional biopic, Steve Jobs. While nothing about this
film did much to change my mind about the title character or his computer
company, it provides a narrative structure as innovative as the technology at
the center of the story. Nearly all of the technical aspects of Steve Jobs are
executed well, and the complex personalities of the real life individuals are
captured magnificently by the cast, even if Aaron Sorkin’s screenplay
occasionally forces them into somewhat theatrical directions.
Giving the idea of three-act-structure new
meaning, the entirety of Steve Jobs
(both the film and its subject) is captured in a trio of important product
launches. The presentations themselves aren’t even seen, leaving only the
backstage moments before to serve as plot and character insight. Although there
is some tech talk along the way, the film’s screenplay is far more interested
in the complex relationships that Jobs (Michael Fassbender) has with the people
around him. He seems to care for his daughter (Makenzie Moss, Ripley Sobo,
Perla Haney-Jardine) over the years, despite essentially disowning her as a
child in order to win an argument. This is a constant with Jobs, stubbornly
insisting on getting the last word in, despite destroying every reason for
having the conversation along the way. This is the kind of tunnel-vision social
skills that seem to hinder his longtime partnership with Steve Wozniak (Seth
Rogen), and makes him a tough protagonist to root for.
Bustling beside
Jobs before each of these product launches is Joanna Hoffman (Kate Wisnlet),
staying fairly removed from the drama while remaining in the eye of the storm.
This storm often involves his ex-wife (Katherine Waterston), though it is his
daughter who suffers the most collateral damage. It is also the biggest reason
for disliking the Steve Jobs in Danny Boyle’s film, though his shocking
bluntness in a conversation with Andy Hertzfeld (Michael Stuhlbarg) is a close
second. Rather than rooting for him to succeed, I often reveled in the early
failures the film portrays.
There is a
certain theatricality to the material that I found somewhat off-putting, even
more than usual for Aaron Sorkin, and Danny Boyle often plays into that style.
This would be a fascinating double feature with Birdman, both for the similarity in backstage narrative, but
because the styles are also very different. Boyle often allows his filmmaking
to be sparse at moments, at times resembling a filmed play, but allows those
signature stylistic tricks to come out as a bridge between the segments. What
grounds the film even more than these moments is the dedication of the cast.
The Blu-ray combo pack comes also comes with a
DVD and Digital HD copy of the movie. The high definition is mostly
unnecessary, though it does enhance the flashiness of Boyle’s transitional
moments. Special features are kept rather basic, including only a making-of
featurette and a feature filmmakers commentary track.
Entertainment Value:
7/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 8/10
Historical
Significance: 7.5/10
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