Sharp, Smart and Stinging, This Film Pulls No Punches

Rating: 9/10 (28 January 2016)

Aaron Sorkin gives the Apple co-founder some close scrutiny in this unflattering portrait, cleverly framed around three key product launches. Caught at his most over-stressed, Jobs often comes off as both the smartest man in the room and the most heartless, a difficult mix that's expertly managed by Michael Fassbender in the leading role. Fassbender doesn't even remotely look the part, but his ruthless conviction and forceful, melting gaze make the act easy to swallow despite that. It's also true of Seth Rogen, actually, who seems a bizarre choice to play celebrated engineer Steve Wozniak, but pulls it off against all odds in several tastefully limited appearances. This isn't the typical biopic, spanning a figure's entire life and weaving it all into one grand, epic journey with a happy ending. Instead, it's a concise, efficient peek through the window at three turning points in the man's history: his biggest gamble (Macintosh), his greatest spin (NeXT) and his ultimate redemption (iMac). The products get their moments to shine, as does Jobs's infamous penchant for micro-management, but the real story focuses on his relationship with an unwanted, unaccepted daughter and the betrayal of an adoptive pseudo-father. There's warmth in the script, and in its focal figure, but also a terrible, heartbreaking coldness on both fronts that seems painfully real. It may not be the whole story (several heavy moments are fabricated in the name of plot) but it's enough to convey a better understanding of its subject as a human being, warts and all. A terrific effort, moving and entertaining the whole way through, that merits watching whether you love the ubiquitous brand or loathe it.