As a teen, one of my teachers told us about this nerd who made not one, but two massive marks on the world. This guy (Steve Jobs) she told us, created Apple and Pixar. I remember feeling torn; I wasn’t sure if I should be impressed or jealous that one man got to make it big twice!
STEVE JOBS is one of three feature films to be released since his death. With Danny Boyle in the director’s chair, it’s the one I was most excited for.
STEVE JOBS takes us backstage during three iconic product launches, ending in 1998 with the unveiling of the iMac. Anyone expecting a narrative that chronologically canvasses the rise, fall and rise of Jobs, will be sorely disappointed. This flick is a study of the man himself; his character flaws and his personal life – namely the strained relationship with his daughter.
With Boyle at the helm, you know you’re in for something a little different. Surprisingly though, I feel Boyle played this one quite conventionally. Sure, the flick isn’t structured traditionally, but it’s not as ground-breaking as some of his earlier works. This aside, STEVE JOBS is still expertly directed with not a drop in pace despite little happening beyond looooong conversations.
The screenplay is undeniably well written; the dialogue is riveting and charges forward with little chance to catch breath. Yet there is something missing in the film’s final chapter…perhaps the fact that the resolution is pinned almost entirely on the father/daughter relationship, when this relationship played out almost like a side-line plot during the main body of the film.
But this is a small gripe (and possibly just a personal preference; perhaps my cold, unloving heart found his professional relationships more interesting than his personal ones)
We have a stellar cast here: Michael Fassbender, Kate Winslet, Seth Rogan and Jeff Daniels never miss a beat, delivering the convoluted dialogue with an almost Shakespearian grace.
Expertly acted, wonderfully written and well directed, STEVE JOBS is a fast-paced and enthralling film despite the fact that little happens except a tonne of (undeniably) snappy dialogue. Spanning 15 years of a great eccentric life, STEVE JOBS is certainly entertaining yet, as a biopic, may leave some wanting more detail.
I rate it 8 stars.
