"Steve Jobs" - Review

"Steve Jobs" (15)

Directed by: Danny Boyle.

Starring: Michael Fassbender, Kate Winslet, Seth Rogen, Jeff Daniels, Sarah Snook and Katherine Waterston.

Running time: 122 minutes.

Rated: '15' for containing strong language.

Now showing in select UK cinemas.

Picture this: It’s the first step of your morning commute; you are sitting aboard a bus, intently studying those around you. What do you see? A multitude of increasingly powerful phones, at the hands of men, women and now more often than not, children. But how many of those are iPhone’s? The likelihood is the majority. It is undeniable, Apple have taken the world by storm. But where did the technological conqueror begin? Like many straight-forward biopics, the most remarkable of these stories derive from humble beginnings – in this case, a garage in Los Altos, California. But in Danny Boyle’s 11th feature film as director, acclaimed screenwriter Aaron Sorkin (The Social Network) is not particularly concerned with an overly remarkable life, or humble beginnings, opting instead to daringly limit himself, by entering the complex world of Steve Jobs in an unconventional manner, whilst focussing upon a naturalistic and wholly relatable story of varying motifs: friendship, loyalty, jealousy, class and power – Shakespearean?

Similar to last year’s outstanding Birdman, the energetic Steve Jobs is concerned about the events which take place backstage, as audiences are guided throughout three iconic stages within the life of Steve Jobs: the product launches of the Macintosh, NeXT computer, and the iMac. But behind those rimless eyeglasses is a tortured genius (portrayed here by Michael Fassbender), who is explored throughout a series of intense confrontations with family and close friends, concluding in a detailed character study of regret and existential drama, as he battles for supremacy.

Now the sixth film (second feature length) in a seemingly never-ending line of features regarding the tech genius, Steve Jobs arrives to the party late and unfortunately, a little underdressed. Having encountered distribution and production issues (the project was acquired by Universal Pictures, shortly after Sony Pictures placed the film in turnaround) from day one, Steve Jobs was poised to fail. In the film’s commercial run, perhaps it does, considering the film debuted (in America) to a measly $7.3 million. But the film’s strongest feature is Aaron Sorkin’s witty and kinetic screenwriting (“Musicians play their instruments. I play the orchestra.”), delivered terrifically by an almost outstanding cast and complemented by various stylistic decisions from Boyle, particularly the mise en scène, vibrant typography and camerawork.

Sorkin himself, dares not to conform to the simplistic, rise-fall-rise-again blueprint, instead opting to confine the biopic structure to the backstage areas, in which the actual drama comes to the fore. Perhaps, an ingenious play on Sorkin’s behalf. After all, the Steve Jobs we were accustomed to seeing is one manipulated by the mass media. But, what happens when the cameras are switched off and Jobs is placed out of the public’s watchful eye? The answer is Steve Jobs; a portrait of a fearless leader who, despite having been wounded emotionally, was able to recover from various financially punishing defeats, and was eventually spurred on to lovingly create a lavish piece of technology which expanded the way in which we perceive various elements within our world, and of course the way that information is consumed.

The highlight of Steve Jobs is of course the phenomenal, attention-seizing performance from Fassbender, who expertly exerts rawness of emotion in the most tense and in-depth of scenes, calmly delivering threats of anger in hushed tones, as if he was attempting to suppress an ungodly rage within him. His portrayal is both towering, menacing, and in many instances, one which expertly displays the qualities of a vicious and calculating leader, reminiscent of his critically lauded portrayal of Macbeth. But Fassbender allows Jobs’ humanity to remain, as the scenes shared between Jobs and his daughter Lisa (at various ages) are often touching, but overtake the narrative in a third act which seems desperately rushed and unfinished, almost derailing the film’s emotional payoff. However, the film only scratches the surface of Jobs’ character, intent on introducing various other characters before Jobs himself is given the material he deserves, in a story with far more engaging material to mine for.

The film itself is an obvious award’s contender, ticking all of the correct boxes (biopic of a legendary innovator, challenging lead role for an up-and-coming actor, dynamite screenwriting etc), particularly in regards to the supporting cast. The popular comedic actor and satirist Seth Rogen is also provided with some fine material here, much like his This Is the End co-star Jonah Hill, in Sorkin’s Moneyball, as he orchestrates a nuanced performance in a way audiences have not witnessed since 2011’s 50/50. Both films play upon Rogen’s instinctual vulnerability, which is put to effective use in Steve Jobs, as Rogen’s character Steve Wozniak deals with the harsh attitudes of a career within an unforgiving industry. Winslet is perhaps the weaker link within an otherwise outstanding ensemble, as she attempts to portray a Polish character (Joanna Hoffman) whose absence of a convincing accent is unnoticeable within the first act, yet gradually improves towards the film’s denouement, causing a sense of confusion, despite the undeniable improvement of her overall performance within the third act.  Meanwhile, Jeff Daniels, Sarah Snook and Katherine Waterston are criminally underused in generally undemanding roles, yet their elevation of the material is commendable.

Verdict

Steve Jobs, as a character, is akin to Apple’s revolutionary and advanced products; almost impenetrable. Yet, virtuoso performances, acerbic, witty and perspicacious dialogue, govern a film which despite skimming the surface of a technological pioneer, provides delightful visual flourishes, and an outstanding score from Daniel Pemberton (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.), whilst those who are not well-versed in Apple’s tumultuous affair with a troubled genius, are rewarded with a wealth of intriguing exposition. Unconventional and featuring a phenomenal attention-seizing performance from Fassbender, Steve Jobs is a vibrant revitalisation of a sub-genre shrouded in fatigue.

8 Stars out of 10

Written by Scott Gentry.

Film/TV Rating Key

1-2 stars out of ten = Awful.

3-4 stars out of ten = Average.

5-6 stars out of ten = Good.

7-8 stars out of ten = Excellent.

9-10 stars out of ten = Amazing.

Trailer

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