Steve Jobs. It’s a name synonymous with technological innovation. In the new film that bears the same name, we get a peek into the life of that man during three very different moments in his life.
Jobs (Michael Fassbender) cofounded Apple with his friend Steve Wozniak (Seth Rogen) in a garage.
Despite their differences in personality and approach, the Apple IIc they developed there was instrumental in building the early iterations of the company now known for iPads, iPhones and all that other cool stuff beginning with “i.”
As Jobs changes through the years, he chooses to ignore the past in favor of focusing on his own future. All Wozniak seems to want is for Jobs to recognize him, and more importantly his team, for the work they did. But Jobs has no time for the past. Instead, he looks to the future and what is next for himself, the industry and Apple.
Joanna Hoffman (Kate Winslet) was the head of marketing on the Macintosh team and remains by Jobs’ side through all of life’s curveballs. She seems to be the one person who can truly connect with Jobs. She is his sounding board in the face of both personal and professional hurdles.
Director Danny Boyle masterfully weaves much of Jobs’ life into the moments backstage before the three crucial presentations covered in the film. The backdrop of the presentations allows Boyle to capture the chaos, and the driven nature of the iconic Jobs, while using flashbacks to delve deeper into what made the man.
Fassbender splendidly captures Jobs’ desire to control every aspect of his life. Winslet’s Hoffman exposes us to a character who appreciates Jobs and his varied nuances. She relegates her own feelings to the back burner, but you can feel the internal strife it causes.
And the supporting cast is just as magical in developing the range of emotions the people in Jobs’ life experience. From Rogen to Michael Stuhlbarg, we are gifted with a great ensemble playing those in the inner circle who were the brains behind the show.
To be successful, you must be driven. Driven to a greatness that may make others around you uncomfortable at times. But there is room to be human, too, and Boyle’s film makes that clear to us.
Misunderstood and misquoted, Steve Jobs was a genius at the complex show that is life.
Maybe being human could have removed some of his stress, but would we have ever gotten the “i” revolution experience as a result?
Steve Jobs the film provides an extremely poignant and unflinching closeup of a period in the life of Steve Jobs, the man. And that closeup reminds us that even those who seem to have it all together may have demons lurking in the shadows. He was a man, just a man, but a truly remarkable one.
Steve Jobs
Rated: R
Stars: Michael Fassbender, Kate
Winslet, Seth Rogen
Director: Danny Boyle
Grade: B