Like the beautifully designed Apple products, Steve Jobs is a fascinating look into the man behind the Macs.

Rating: 10/10 (29 January 2016)

Today is the greatest day as we have the advantage of having computers within the hands of anyone. This was the ideology of the late Apple creator, Steve Jobs. It was the goal of Jobs to take the technology of computers, a type of machine that only a few people knew how to work, and find a way to give it to the people. He was smart in realizing the true potential of the electronic machine and what people would do with it. He saw as the modern canvas that could turn the everyday Joe into an artist. To quote him again, "It's not about putting it in the right hands, but in everybody's hands".
We already had an independently produced story with Jobs (which I got to play a small part) that most people found too standard in biography stories and not up to the high quality of the real Steve Jobs and Apple. What was really desired was an adaptation of the Walter Isaacson biography of Steve Jobs. I agree that it's a fantastic book, but the book required a unique look at the man behind Apple. Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours) plugged in for his crack at the original Apple genius in Steve Jobs.
Rather then to adapt the entire life story (I don't even know if that's doable in film format), the movie takes a perspective by exploring three different product launches.
We first begin in 1984 where after the successful "1984" ad had caught a lot of attention, Steve Jobs (played by Michael Fassbender) is trying to make sure that the launch of the Macintosh goes smoothly. Besides getting his fellow engineer Andy Hertzfeld (played by Michael Stuhlbarg), he's also juggling the decisions of the old Apple 2 computer of fellow Apple creator Steve Wozniak (played by Seth Rogan), the newly hired CEO John Sculley (played by Jeff Daniels) and his relationship with an ex-girlfriend and their daughter Lisa.
While all these people seem to have a hard time getting through the stubborn "conductor of computer engineers", marketing executive Joanna Hoffman (played by Kate Winslet) is the only one that's willing to challenge Jobs on his choices and behavior. She's the one who tries to get through to him on treating his friends better and to acknowledge his daughter. We also explore Steve Jobs at the unavailing of his NeXT computer in 1988 and of the iMac in 1998.
As I mentioned before, Steve Jobs had to go further then the typical biography. Only focusing his story on three events might seem like a major gamble, but the script of Aaron Sorkin allows you to really get to know the Apple genius. Danny Boyle seemed to have never been afraid to portray him as arrogant and pretentious. Steve Jobs is a fine example of a character study where you, the audience is suppose to decide on whether he was a good man. It's structure allows for several layers to unfold. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Boyle took a lot of inspiration from Citizen Kane.
Honestly, the casting is near perfect. Michael Fassbender was someone that I'd thought would stick out, but he looses himself within Steve Jobs and there were times I forgot I was watching a movie. Seth Rogen, Jeff Daniels, Michael Stuhlbarg are all casted perfectly within their roles as well, though the one really tying them all is Kate Winslet as Joanna Hoffman.
What may surprise most people is that Steve Jobs feels like a small movie as most of the film takes place within theaters on the product launches. It honestly feels like an excellent play that I'm sure will get it's own adaptation in some form.
I'll give this ten Macintoshes' out of ten. Some people are builders and some are idea people. Steve Jobs was an idea guy that knew how to lead. Even if his attitude was questionable, I'm sure you'll draw your own conclusions on how far one goes to change the world. Steve Jobs is like an awesome Apple product that everyone should touch at one point.