Interesting, engaging and emotional

Rating: 8/10 (22 December 2016)

The career and personal life of Apple founder Steve Jobs, told through three important product launch presentations from 1984, 88 and 98. We see how he got there, the ingenuity behind the products, what makes Jobs tick, the personal issues he was facing at the time and how he dealt with them.
This could easily have turned into a dry, linear biopic. The first Steve Jobs movie, Jobs (2013), was just that. Edifying but not overly interesting and quite unengaging. Certainly not helped by having a B-grade comedy actor (Ashton Kutcher) in the lead role.
However, this Steve Jobs movie is far from dry. It is highly engaging, through showing us the man behind the brand, warts and all. Michael Fassbender does a superb job in the lead role, mixing cold business acumen with vulnerability, empathy and warmth.
A very dialogue-filled movie, feeling much like a play, and this helps. The dialogue drives the plot and the character depth, and provides some good humour too.
On the negative side, the relationship and issues with his daughter feel a bit overwrought and overstated at times, but this is not a major issue.
In addition to Fassbender's superb performance, an excellent supporting performance too from Kate Winslet as Joanna Hoffman. Both Fassbender and Winslet received Oscar nominations. Good support too from Jeff Daniels, Michael Stuhlbarg and, very surprisingly, Seth Rogen. Rogen, more at home delivering comedy performances, is excellent here in a dramatic role, playing Steve Wozniak.