Walk towards the light.
This feature length film recaps the dramatic life of Steve Jobs, co-founder and "brain" behind Apple's huge technological fortune, which seems almost to capture the essence of a bio-pic/documentary. We find ourselves yet again in our trusty Delorean time machines, whisked back to the 70's, and thrust into the life of Steve Jobs, played by Ashton Kutcher, as he wrestles with being a college drop-out and yearning for more out of his life.
Dude where's my apple?
Through a very fast paced, pieced together script, we see Jobs receive his own epiphany, leading him towards a career in technology. Tormented by his own ego and fears, Jobs continuously pushes every boundary he approaches, earning both resentment and praise, ultimately finding himself on top of the technology tough guy list looking down upon all those he left in his wake.
Come and join the revolution.
Now, this is something I struggled with throughout the film. I must admit, I did not know a great deal about Jobs prior to viewing this film. What knowledge I took away from this was that Steve Jobs was a passionate, inspiring, butt head, one who held himself in higher regards than any other person; larger than all, untouchable. I can only assume that what was depicted on screen mirrored the reality off screen, after all, this film was all about Steve Jobs. So having said that, again, while he was busy being passionate about his company and products, Steve Jobs was a butt head to everyone and anyone: friends, family, clients, co-workers, etc. Literally to the point on throwing his pregnant girlfriend out on the street (has not been confirmed to occur in real life) and financially undercutting his former friends/employees/co-founders. It made me want to take all of my Apple products and drag them into that little trashcan icon on the dock...I quickly decided against that. After all, Steve Jobs wasn't the only butt head on the planet controlling products and industries which I regularly partake.
Command, Shift, Delete me, I dare you!
As mentioned briefly above, this script seemed "rushed" almost; too many gaps in time and reason to make a whole lot of sense. I understand that the film was more about the initial undertaking of creating a computer company in the early years of computers, fine. However, this doesn't mean you can have a storyline bouncing all over the place, both in terms of location and year. There were numerous times in this film where I found myself stopped, thinking long and hard about what was happening, who these people were. The film would show things like Jobs, his wife and kids, without ever showing us who and where and when these people came from. This aspect made the film difficult to follow, which basically started at the start and ended at the end. Profound, I know.
Acting, on the other hand, was what made this film bearable. That's right reader, even Kutcher brought his "A" game. Now I have read some other comments (complaints) claiming the opposite, that Kutcher had no business being in this role. Rest assured, he was more than competent and did a great job harnessing the essence of that turtle neck wearing butt head. Kutcher went deep and got every mannerism, walking, hand talking habit which Jobs was known for spot on. Actually, the entire cast was rather remarkably assembled from all corners of the acting community. Josh Gad (The Internship) played Steve Wozniak, the actual brain behind the Apple start-up, and initially Jobs' right hand man. Dermot Mulroney (My Best Friend's Wedding) played Mike Marrkula, Apple's original angel investor, and one of Jobs' biggest supporters. J.K. Simmons (Juno) played Arthur Rock, the hard to please board member always trying to control Jobs. Lastly (for me and this review) Matthew Modine (The Dark Knight Rises) who played John Sculley, the former Pepsi marketing guru turned Apple marketing head/CEO. At every level of this film I found more and more depth in the acting. As the film progressed through its entirety, the emotional turmoil/pain/hatred grew more and more palpable, eventually leading to breakdowns and downfalls throughout the company and the individuals, and my understanding.
Most of you know that this "fairy tale" of a life resembles more the Grimm version than the Disney. It's an easy assessment to make, Steve Jobs' life was remarkable and unique, while being heinous and cruel; this film really hit that nail on the head. As I was left astonished as to Jobs' behavior and cruelty, I too was amazed with his passion and his genius, and I'm not talking about the bar.
Do you have an appointment?
Final Words: Medium Popcorn
I must admit, if it wasn't for the acting I think this film would have been a small. Jobs is by no means a stand out film, but certainly one which deserves some credit. Even though the script was shaky and on the flimsy side of things, the overall product was bearable, and insightful. Check this one out on the cheaper side of things.
Until next time, happy viewing!
Review Rating based on popcorn sizes: small, medium, large, extra-large;
films worth skipping get snore...zzzzz
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