Film Review: Steve Jobs

Danny Boyle’s new film, Steve Jobs, is an interesting look at the personal and business relationships in Jobs’ life as it only takes place backstage before three iconic product launches. The film opens in 1984 at the Mac launch, continues in 1988 at the NeXT computer launch and concludes in 1998 with the launch of the iMac. All three acts take place within a short period of time leading up to the actual presentation while Jobs meets with business partners, friends, and his ex and daughter. We see Jobs’ clever and creative side while also seeing how shrewd and manipulative he can be in business while being blinded by his own ego.

Now I’m going to be forthright in telling you that this isn’t an easy film to review; because of its style it is merely a portion of a story and gives the audience no resolution whatsoever. I can state that in my opinion the script by Aaron Sorkin was compelling and the acting very good all around, while the direction was strong throughout. For a two-hour film entirely made up of conversations, Steve Jobs is an engaging and at times tense watch, and it breezes by like a much shorter film. My only complaints with Steve Jobs are that the film is limited in its storytelling approach. You never feel like you’re getting the whole story, because you aren’t. On top of that, the third act struggles to present the audience with the illusion of a happy ending in which Jobs makes some concessions toward bettering his relationships with those around him. While this could be an attempt to play into the Steve Jobs “reality distortion field” of him spinning the facts and telling half truths, it more feels like the filmmakers are trying to end the film on an upswing, even though any basic research will show you that Jobs never was one to “make good” with people and that the film ends at a point where Apple was just getting into some very duplicitous business practices.

Overall the film is a strong and entertaining watch, just not entirely correct, so if you check it out, be aware of that.

Steve Jobs (2015); Director: Danny Boyle; Starring: Michael Fassbender, Seth Rogen, and Kate Winslet