Steve Jobs takes us on the journey behind the scenes of the man who became a legend after his visionary outlook on computers really did manage to change the world. We are taken backstage at three very different product launches which see him crash and burn, but then end with something incredible.
Over the 14 year journey in the film we are taken through three different product launches, we aren’t shown anything in-between and things are pieced together by the conversations which take place with Jobs and the key people around him. Which I thought was a very interesting way to do it all, not really what I expected in all honesty. I found myself lost in the moments and truly into the film. That is not how I was expecting to feel about this one as in all honesty I did not really fancy seeing the film. After watching it and fully embracing it I now need to say how stupid I was!
Michael Fassbender is on-screen pretty much 95% of the time maybe even more than that and it really is a truly inspired and fantastic performance from a truly gifted actor. He really did blow me away on a few occasions in this film. Honestly so engaging and worked very well with a favorite of mine Kate Winslet who was in a majority of scenes with him taking on the role of Joanna Hoffman the Marketing Executive. They really do share some fantastic scenes, I felt that some incredible moments were happening in the exchanges between them.
Throw in Jeff Daniels and Seth Rogan to really raise the stakes in some of the scenes, with some very heated discussions and arguments taking place with Jobs. Showing how difficult it can be to balance friendships in the world of business. John Sculley was brought in by Jobs and Steve Wozniak to be the CEO for the company they were creating. Woz did seem to be Jobs only real friend, but that didn’t stop the way they would treat one another. I thought this was interesting to see how they had changed towards each other over the 4 years and then the 10 years gap between the product launches.
I hadn’t read a massive amount about the plot before seeing the film so wasn’t really sure where it was going to end and if it was going to reach the iPhone but to finish on the iMac really did tell such a great story. About one mans struggle to create such a groundbreaking computer, but maybe even more important to know about the two big failures on the way to creating that? As I am sure many more existed in-between those launches. I did love the comment about putting 500/1000 songs in your pocket as well.
The focus wasn’t only on the creation of a new computer but also Jobs relationship with his daughter Lisa. Who to begin with he was not accepting was actually his daughter despite the tests and everything around it. This immediately put him in a bad light and did not come across likeable at all. This then gave the film the chance to also revisit this relationship at each launch. Something which I thought was very interesting concept, and I will admit did just have a little read about this online after seeing the film. That helped to show the character growth and how Jobs had changed over the years. He did seem more mellow over time and I hope that was the same in real life.
I guess we will never really be sure how close this was to what actually happened and the conversations which really occurred but I will say one thing that it certainly made a very good piece of film. The acting was top-notch, the script brilliant and the two hours flew over for me. I have grown to really enjoy this type of film and must not doubt something in this mold again. Maybe not being too bothered about the film made me enjoy and appreciate it even more? Well that is totally possible I guess. It does feel strange to say that it really blew me away at times, as parts were so simple yet massively engaging and impressive. If anything it should teach you never to give up on your dreams, if you truly believe in something then you should never stop trying to make it a reality.
Writing this from my beautiful new iMac (which if I hadn’t already bought I certainly would have after the film) and having had three different models of iPhone, onto my second iPad, also owning a MacBook Air, Apple TV (used like twice) and numerous different types of iPod’s I really must thank Steve Jobs for this and thinking differently after all he changed everything.
