Cast: Michael Fassbender, Kate Winslet, Seth Rogen, Jeff Daniels, Michael Stulberg and Katherine Waterston.
If you want to watch a film about the life and times of the late Steve Jobs, you may want to watch the pretty dire Ashton Kutcher 'Jobs'. This is a completely different animal. Here Danny Boyle has crafted a less conventional biopic to what you maybe use to, and wow it's refreshing.
The story is centered around three important product launches over 12 years: The Macintosh computer launch in 1984, Job's NeXt computer in 1988 and finally his masterpiece that was the iMac in 1998. This may sound all pretty dull stuff, but with great direction from Boyle and a razor sharp and witty script from Alan Sorkin, each launch is stuffed full of drama and tension which will have you gripped.
You would think a film about Steve Jobs would mainly be about computers and a lot of technical mambo jumbo (and there is a bit) but what really stood out are the relationships with the people around him at the times of the launches. These include his ex girlfriend Chrisann Brennan, whom he may or may not have had fathered a child with, and that said child Lisa, his long time suffering assistant Joanna Hoffman, his colleague and friend Steve Wozniak, software engineer Andy Hertzfeld, and John Sculley, CEO of Apple.
Michael Fassbender plays the man in question, Steve Jobs. Bursting onto screen ranting with the mother of all God complexes, he chews up the dialogue, delivering each word and every line with energy at such a pace that it is exciting and exhilarating to watch.
Kate Winslet plays his assistant Joanne Hoffman, the only person Steve really listens to. The pair have great chemistry and bounce off each other which is a great source of amusement. But it's Winslet accent which is truly strange. Hoffman has a Polish accent. In 1984 there is no trace of any accent from Winslet, but then at the next launch in 1988 she must have remembered that she was meant to have one. It's a little off putting and actually very funny but not in a good way. Then in 1998 she skips between the two accents. It's all very bemusing.
The supporting cast are all excellent. Seth Rogen again proves that he can stand toe to toe with actors at the top of their game. Michael Stulberg puts in another strong supporting role after "Trumbo." Jeff Daniels, who is always a highlight of most films or TV shows that he is in, is again great opposite the incredible Fassbender.
The cast and crew rehearsed for 2 weeks and then filmed for 2 weeks for each time period and act. This shows because everyone nails the script. Alan Sorkin scripts are notoriously wordy with pages and pages of long dialogue. Each period is played out backstage and in real time. Sorkin himself has pointed out that he has taken liberties with the facts and characters he is writing about. Of Course Steve Jobs didn't have the same interactions and arguments with the same 5 people before every launch. Also the important scene between Jobs and his daughter never happened, it's all for dramatic effect. So the argument is still open on what kind of man Steve Jobs was. I don't think this representation paints him in a good light. No question however, that the man was a genius.
The craftsmanship of the film is also outstanding. All the time periods have a different atmosphere and feeling. 1984 was filmed on 16mm, 1988 on 35mm and 1998 on digital. Composer Daniel Pemberton sets the mood of each period brilliantly, it creates a whole new layer to the movie which helps build atmosphere between the characters. The score was composed before filming so when it came to the edit the editors could cut to the already finished music score which sets the pace of the film. The 2 hour runtime flies by and you will be disappointed you don't get to see the launch of the ipod.
Danny Boyle should be applauded for making a Shakespeare-esqe film which is highly entertaining for a film mainly composed of dialogue and people arguing amongst each other. The entire cast is excellent but in particular Michael Fassbender. When awards session starts he should be getting ready to make a couple more speeches.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Dave Curtis
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