Jobs Version 2.0

Rating: 10/10 (25 November 2015)

It's practically impossible to review Danny Boyle's Steve Jobs without bringing up The Social Network. They are not exactly identical subjects. Yet they bear certain inescapable similarities. Both about an egotistical loner, outside of regular society and so devoted to creating the next big thing that they do not care whom they hurt in the process. Steve Jobs is not the better film of the two and yet it's not far behind either.
Steve Jobs is the co-founder of Apple. To say he is demanding of his staff would be a severe understatement. He expects everything from them and if they fail to live up to his colossal expectations he threatens them with public humiliation at the very least. The film is divided into three well defined acts. The first starts in 1984, the launch of the failed Apple Macintosh. The second in 1988, the NeXT computer and finally the iMac in 1998 this acts as somewhat of a rebirth for the talented Steve Jobs.
Danny Boyle centres these three acts primarily upon the conflicts that Jobs has with his family; namely his former girlfriend Chrisann Brennan and Lisa his daughter that he does not acknowledge as his own child for some time. These confrontations give Steve Jobs a dramatic centre and heart. It helps us identify with the character even when he makes things exceedingly difficult for the people that work around him.
However, this sudden shift in timelines does add a disorientating effect that the film could do without. The time jump from 1984 to 1988 is largely inconsequential and works well. It allows us time to see the growth of the characters and their maturity likewise increases. Or in the case of Jobs his arrogance and egotistical side takes over and is more readily apparent than before. But the time gap from 1988 to 1998 does indeed hurt the film from a dramatic standpoint. Any drama built up from the strongly constructed first two acts bears little meaning or resemblance to speak of in the third. It still has drama and by any means is not a bad way to end the film. It just renders everything that came before almost meaningless, almost.
Whenever the film gets bogged down in these details it springs gracefully back up and snaps into shape. You cannot deny the sheer power of the film. This emanates through every line of Aaron Sorkin's memorable dialogue. The script is many things and is surely smart, swift and engaging until the very end. It is not as witty as The Social Network but it matches it for intellect and ingenuity. Because of the break ups in acts it never maintains the flow and focus of David Fincher's masterpiece, but it is still writing at its most uniformly excellent. If every script in Hollywood was up to the level of quality that Sorkin's is then each film that came out would be a must see for every audience member across the world. Despite its shortcomings, Danny Boyle's latest is just that; a film that demands to be seen by anyone who can appreciate spectacular writing and directing on any level.
Boyle's directing is stunning and does not take center stage like before. He lets the real stars of the show shine brightest like writer Aaron Sorkin and the actors that soar at every opportunity that they are given to do so. Michael Fassbender as Steve Jobs is a masterstroke. No matter how many times he is threatening or forceful to his members of loyal staff we still care about his troubles, worries and doubts. There is a sadness that is aching deep inside him; we only see this more vulnerable side of his personality in the time that he spends alone with his daughter Lisa.
But the real breakthrough here is Seth Rogen. Not exactly the kind of person I thought capable of delivering a thought provoking character performance steeped in nuance, but there you have it. If it was not for Michael Fassbender on top form he would steal the show. As Steve Wozniak creator of the Apple II he is the most sympathetic character of the bunch. Yet he never demands it. He just embraces the role with grace and comes out victorious. Rogen, I plead you to stop making stoner comedies. They are beneath you, please only make films where you can shine with the material that is given to you!
Steve Jobs is a highly entertaining, intellectual and thoughtful piece of cinema. It combines Danny Boyle, Aaron Sorkin and Michael Fassbender in a near masterpiece of modern cinema for any adult audience member. It demands to be seen, not just once, but twice. Hollywood is all too lacking when it comes to films crafted with this complexity, ingenuity and script smarts.