The Strength of STEVE JOBS is in the Performances

Rating: 8/10 (22 November 2016)

STEVE JOBS is one of two biographical films released following the Apple visionary's untimely death. I skipped the one with Ashton Kutcher in the lead role because I knew I could never take Kutcher seriously in such a role and because I'd heard rumor of screenwriter Aaron Sorkin taking a swing at it. Here is the final product of Sorkin and director Danny Boyle and, unlike the Kutcher film, this one managed to snag a couple Academy Award nominations for some of the cast. Anyone familiar with Sorkin's writing should have a pretty good idea of what to expect in this, namely snappy dialogue and a lot of conversations on the go. Sure enough, STEVE JOBS is the ultimate "walk and talk" movie, putting all other "walk and talk" movies to shame. Rather than following the life of Jobs from childhood and going through the major milestones in his life, Sorkin decided to try something a little cleverer. STEVE JOBS is divided into three sections, each one set in a different time period before the launch announcement of one of Jobs' products: 1984 (the Macintosh), 1988 (the NeXT), and 1998 (the iMac). In each segment, we watch as relationships develop and crumble with key figures in Jobs' life including co-creator of Apple computers Steve Wozniak, former CEO of Apple John Sculley, and Jobs' own daughter Lisa. STEVE JOBS gives an interesting (and occasionally unflattering) glimpse into the mind of a man often hailed as a modern genius and marketing legend.
This strange use of the three act structure was one of the film's more intriguing elements. I love that Sorkin decided against the usual biopic format because I don't know if it would've been as interesting. He forgoes chronological accuracy and takes a little creative license with the details, but rather he created a movie that doesn't focus on the events of Jobs' life to bring us into his world. Instead the film focuses on the people in his life. Of course, at the center of the film is Michael Fassbender's winning performance as Steve Jobs. Fassbender is a fantastic actor and he really disappears into the role. As Jobs, Fassbender is at times sympathetic and relatable while at other times his ambitions and unrelenting nature bring out his megalomaniacal side. I love that STEVE JOBS doesn't pull any punches in its portrayal of the man. So soon after the man's passing, one might have to worry that a biopic will sugarcoat the details so as to not offend close relatives or be seen as unfairly tainting a man's legacy when he's no longer around to defend himself. But STEVE JOBS plays a perfect balance and falls in line with what I've read of the man. Sorkin based his screenplay on the information from the biography written by Walter Isaacson and the movie was interesting enough that I might have to check it out. The man knew how to play the game; it'd be nice to get the full story.
As powerful as Fassbender's performance is, I expect it from him. The man has never let me down. What blew my mind was the surprisingly strong performance from Seth Rogen as Steve Wozniak. Wozniak's role in the film seems to be bringing to light Jobs' inability to share the spotlight, even if it means shunning those that helped get him there. Wozniak appears at each of the three product launches in the film in hopes that Jobs will throw out an acknowledgment for the team who helped make the Apple II a success, but Jobs insists that it's the past and he's took busy looking to the future. Plus the Apple II's success made it difficult for Jobs to keep the company's focus on his new Macintosh when it didn't perform to expectations in the mid-80s. Rogen kills it in a scene where he goes toe-to-toe with Fassbender in the 1998 segment when the exchange gets heated. As unaccustomed as I am to Rogen in dramatic roles, this was an eye-opener and a strong show on his part. Jeff Daniels also gets a juicy role in the film as John Sculley, the man who's career tanks when he becomes "the man who fired Steve Jobs" from Apple. He has a nice arc where he goes from a supportive, optimistic partner in 1984 to a defeated man in 1998 who just wants to set the record straight. Kate Winslet acts as our guide through the walking and talking as Joanna Hoffman, Jobs' marketing exec. She is Jobs' right-hand woman throughout the film and essentially leads us from conversation to conversation while doubling as the voice of reason.
STEVE JOBS is a clever twist on the biopic genre. It gets all the relevant information in without following the same old structure. It does become a little problematic when you see through the film to the structure and, during a quiet or less interesting moment, find yourself running through your head which confrontations have occurred and which still need to before the movie can move on to the next segment (e.g. "Let's see, we've already done Wozniack, Sculley, and Andy Hertzfeldugh, we still have Lisa and the reporter to get through"). There are a few slow moments where the momentum stutters but generally, for a movie that is 100% about human interactions and, well, walking and talking, STEVE JOBS has an undeniable energy that keeps it exciting to watch.