Think Different

Rating: 8/10 (23 December 2015)

Quickie Review:
Steve Jobs (Michael Fassbender), the founder and CEO of Apple is known around the world for his passion and drive to further technology. His success in the industry was not a smooth journey, and came with a lot of personal and professional sacrifices. The man behind some of the biggest technology shifts is revealed with each of the three critical product unveils. Steve Jobs, is no ordinary biographical film. This is not the story of his life, but about the man and why he sees the world and people the way he does. The performances are flawless and nuanced, with the incredible script from Aaron Sorkin flowing the narrative without a moment wasted. Sure to get some award considerations, this is one that should not be missed.
Full Review:
Before the movie even was in production there were multiple highly talented actors involved in the project at one point or another. The likes of Leonardo DiCaprio, Christian Bale, Jessica Chastain, Natalie Portman, just to name a few. It is hard not to wonder how great is the script that all these actors and actresses want to be cast. After watching the film it is clear to me why there was so much intrigue.
In the end, we got a different cast but in no way were they a compromise. Michael Fassbender fully embodied what the public has come to know about Steve Jobs. He is smart, cold, calculating, and outright cruel sometimes. Yet what Fassbender did here was to give us the answer the question: why? There is reason behind his actions, and watching Fassbender masterfully explore those reasons was completely fascinating. You may not agree with the man, but you will come to understand him. That was the nuance I was expecting to see, and it was delivered. Kate Winslet as Joanna Hoffman was a great addition in the movie. She was the counter balance to Steve Jobs. Winslet was the perfect companion to Fassbender's performance, drawing out more of Jobs' thought process. This film is not just about Jobs but also his relation with his daughter Lisa. We see Lisa at three different ages, and so three different actresses, but all of them fit into the narrative, and don't feel like they are just a tool to develop Jobs' character. This may have to do with the fact these child actresses were well-directed and so their interactions with Fassbender felt genuine. Another notable addition to the cast was Jeff Daniels as John Sculley. Daniels and Fassbender share the screens together multiple times, but the rising tension in their relationship is palpable, particularly in one scene that I'll come back to in a moment (no spoilers).
None of the cast would matter if it weren't for the Aaron Sorkin's script and Danny Boyles' direction. The film is structured into three parts, each a couple of hours before a major product unveiling. So a lot of major interactions occur in a short amount of time with all the important people in Jobs' life. This will seem extremely coincidental, but if you can get past that it actually serves the narrative much better. We are no longer anchored to the chronological storytelling of every other biographical film ever made. Instead the story is focused, clear, and concise, keeping the pacing consistent in a purely dialogue driven film. That brings me back to the scene between Daniels and Fassbender because it was the impeccable example of how well the dialogue was written. I was biting my nails (bad habit I know) during a scene of just two people talking!
If I had any complain it'd be that the unique structure, while resulting in an interesting way of storytelling, does hinder the director from exploring the gaps in between. Nevertheless, the performances are so captivating and the dialogues so engaging that I was fully invested into the moment. I highly recommend this film.