Five Arguments In Search Of A Plot

Rating: 5/10 (11 November 2015)

I thought the film was incredibly well acted - Fassbender, Winslet, Rogan, Daniels & Shultbarg are excellent. My problem with the movie was it was basically the same arguments over and over in five different scenes. I enjoy Danny Boyle's films very much & admire how eclectic he has been - everything from Shallow Grave to Slumdog Millionaire - but here the film is almost like a theatre piece - just tons of talking backstage and in dressing rooms. Sorkin can be good - Moneyball & Social Network but he can also be precious - Sports Night & Newsroom. I don't know what he'd do if he couldn't have a neurotic female character hold a clipboard of some sorts! Winslet does it here, Mortimer on Newsroom, the female lead on Sports Night, etc. It just seems a staple & Winslet & Fassbender are amazing in the first scene, but after that, everyone seems to have the SAME argument again and again till the end credits roll - Jobs can't admit he's wrong, Jobs refuses to mention the Apple 2 team, Jobs argues with his ex-girlfriend on whether he's the father of her kid, Jobs argues with his mentor/boss, it's all witty & sharp but because of the repetition, it just becomes white noise. And hollow. It all seemed forced that ALL this interpersonal drama and emotional blood letting went on JUST before almost EVERY single launch he ever gave.