iMovie

Rating: 8/10 (25 May 2020)

Unlike The Social Network, Steve Jobs isn't a feature length thriller. It's more like a concept album. Through three separate Apple launches within the span of 15 years, Danny Boyle and Aaron Sorkin explore the financial, cultural and spiritual evolution of Steve Jobs, the man behind the Mac. But a flawed man he was. Through mostly dialogue alone, Jobs is pried by his associates, superiors and loved ones. At times, Jobs feels soulless, and constantly focused on the finished product he is selling at the moment. Each section differs in which camera equipment it was filmed on. Act 1 is 16mm film, Act 2 is 35mm film, and Act 3 is digital. Not a bad touch by Boyle. This, stylistically, properly departs from Fincher's gloomy world of Facebook. Sorkin's screenplay is as richly developed as ever, but at times, emotionally empty. Sorkin loves the smell of his own farts. It shows. Every character kind of sounds the same. In any event, Steve Jobs, the movie, has a specific mission. To tell the story of one man, his extraordinary product, and his extraordinary mind using as little visuals as possible. Luckily, it succeeds.