Jobs

US, 2013, minutes, Colour.
Ashton Kutcher, Josh Gad, Dermot Mulrooney, Matthew Modine, Lucas Haas, James Woods, John Getz, Leslie Ann Warren, J.K. Simmons, Kevin Dunn, Ron Eldard, Robert Pine.
Directed by Joshua Michael Stern.

Jobs is a very interesting film to watch. But, this is particularly because of its portrayal of the development and history of Apple. It is also interesting, in a negative kind of way, in its portrayal of the character of Steve Jobs himself. He was a very significant figure of the 20th century, the film having the courage to simply entitle itself, Jobs, rather than Steve Jobs. Everyone is expected to know who Jobs was and something of what he achieved.

The film opens at an Apple staff meeting in 2001. Steve Jobs shuffles in in his characteristic, slightly Neanderthal, stooped way of walking. He addresses his troops, challenges them, promises them something creative and new, the iPod, and energies their enthusiasm by giving statistics about how many items were sold, millions of them, in that year. By the end, we realise that this is something of a thumbnail sketch of Job’s biography.

But then the film goes back to the mid-1970s, Jobs as a young man, inventive and managerial, but unable to settle down to his formal studies. With his good friend, Daniel, he travels to India. Though we don’t quite see how, it has something of a transforming effect on the young Jobs. He returns and knuckles down to hard work. It seems he has found himself, at home in the developing information technology world.

At this stage, there should include some praise for its star, Ashton Kutcher. Most audiences would see Kutcher as a lightweight, a performer in romantic comedies or some thrillers, as well as on television in Two and a half Men. However, in that opening sequence, made up to look like Jobs and giving his speech, we realise that this is a much better Kutcher performance. But then we go back to the young man and see the Kutcher with whom we are familiar. But, as the film progresses, he immerses himself in the role and we appreciate that we are looking at an excellent portrayal of Steve Jobs.

It is legend that he set up the Apple Company in his father’s garage. He befriends Steve Wozniak, computer whiz who saw something of the future in developing the personal computer and the computer screen and data storage. Along with other friends, including Daniel, they start working to fulfil an order from a local store. With the order somewhat incomplete, we begin to see that Jobs is something of a wheeler dealer in his words and in his performance. At this stage, a businessman decides to invest some thousands in Apple and the company is on the way.

Daniel is played by Lukas Haas. Steve Wozniak is played by Josh Gad. The investor is played by Dermot Mulroney.

The prospects for Steve Jobs seemed limitless. However, on a personal level, he becomes more and of more a repellent human being. He discards his friends easily. When offering stock options, he doesn’t include them because he considers that they have not worked up to the standard for deserving them. A young woman claims that a child is his and he rejects her with chilling nonchalance. Later, he will take care of this daughter. But, although we see scenes of his domestic life, a wife and a child, women did not play a very large part in his life.

Of course, it is rather exhilarating to see Jobs and his success, immersing himself more and more in the American capitalist dream, and achieving. With Steve Wozniak and an increasingly large number of proteges, he is continually inventive, developing the Macintosh for instance. But, in his personality, he is a perfectionist and ruthlessly intolerant of those who do not measure up to his expectations. They can just get out – and at once. He is able to hire and fire without a grimace.

But in the nineties, members of the board became more and more hostile to his perfectionism, experiments, huge investments in development, and he is ousted from the board.

While he seems to mellow outside the board and his company, he spends some time at home. However, he is requested to come back to the company and, by a series of manoeuvres, and his old demanding style, he is reinstated.

There is an interesting cast members for characters during this period, J.K. Simmons as head of the board, Matthew Modine as the Pepsi Cola marketing expert called in to save Apple in the 1990s.

The film is significant in its presentation of the history of IT developments in the United States and the establishing of Apple. However, on a personal level, like Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook in The Social Network, the central character, though a supreme achiever, is a very difficult human being.


1. A portrait of Steve Jobs? Audience knowledge of him, as a person, his IT skills, manager and entrepreneur, his achievement? The Apple Company? How sympathetic a portrait? And his personal life?

2. The California story, Palo Alto, the 1970s – and Steve, Danny and the visit to India, immersion in the culture, their learning about themselves, the return home? The world of the campus, the lectures, Steve and his not going to lectures, the discussions with the Professor, urging him to some achievement?

3. Palo Alto, California in the 1970s to the 1990s, the garage, the buildings, the shops, the business world, the enlarging plant for the company? The
musical score, the use of contemporary songs to evoke the period?

4. Ashton Kutcher’s performance, his impersonation of Steve Jobs, appearance, hair, a slouch walk? Jobs as a character, his spirit, success, 25 years?

5. The prologue, the assembled group, the beginning of the 21st century, 25 years of the Apple Company? Jobs arriving, his speech, the development of the iPod, the financial success? The flashbacks?

6. Jobs’ background, his ability, at college, lack of interest in courses, the Professor, the challenge?

7. Danny and Stephen India, their experience and its effect?

8. The return, the change in Steve, his practical interests, IT, prospects?

9. His friendship with was Waz, Waz and his tinkering, his developments, his skills, insights? Brainwaves? Steve, taking him to the campus, the lecture, people bored, walking out, Paul approaching Steve, financing him, the discussions about capital investment, his shop and his order? The garage, his father giving it to Steve, Waz and his loving his work? Getting the others in to help, Daniel and the others? Rod Holt, the bikie, his skills and conditions?The friends, working, building the boards, not the screens, going to the shop? Paul’s reaction? Sales?

10. Steve continually on the phone? Mike and his visit, surprise at the house, the garage, talking with Steve, the deals, the investment, his becoming partner?

11. Waz and Stephen in the car, the discussion about a name of the company, the reasons for Apple?

12. 1980s, the company, the new building, the more extensive staff, Steve and his hardness, perfectionism, talking people down, firing them, demanding quality in their work? The Lisa project?

13. The company, the shares, Daniel wanting to talk with him, Steve at the meeting in the cafe, not eating, decision not to give Daniel or the others any shares or advantages? His reasons? Condemning their lack of skills? The scenes of recruitment, the tough criteria? The Fair, his speech, his rousing the listeners, his insight into the use of personal computers, creating the market? Comparisons with IBM, his pride?

14. The film giving little attention to his personal life, his living with the young woman, learning she was pregnant, his emotional and violent reaction, ousting her, feeling this was a personal insult to him? The language about his daughter? The meeting with his lawyer for justice for Lisa? Yet calling the computer after her, and the latest scenes as she was growing up? At home with him?

15. Arthur, the financial situation, seeing Steve as bleeding the company with his extravagant experiments? Arthur as CEO, hard on Steve? Members of the Board? His staff and projects? The Lisa? Movement to the Macintosh? The board meetings? The decision to hire John Curry, his background at Pepsi-Cola?, a salesman, his ideas, promotion? Curry’s frustration with Steve, their clashes, Steve saying hiring him was his worst mistake? The meeting about his becoming the CEO, the discussions, Mike warning him, the vote, Steve losing his position?

16. Being ousted, at home with his wife, the garden, people coming for his advice?

17. Gil, working in the company, as different from Arthur, Arthur and his strong opinions, antagonistic towards Steve? Steve walking with Gil? Accepting the invitation to come back as adviser?

18. The new building, the offer of the tour by Mike, his going alone, meeting the young workers, asking why they were still there, criticising their design, his encouraging them to be creative?

19. Ed Woolard, the decision to get rid of Gil, financial losses of the company, envelopes to the other members of the board? Mike, his arrival, the envelope, the handout, the explanation? The vote against Gil? Steve and his resurrection?

20. Waz, his life in the company over the years, the differences with Steve, no respect of his approach, his final speech to Steve, Steve’s amazement, Waz leaving?

21. Steve Jobs as a person, self-focused, feeling betrayed, his company stolen from him? Yet his success? The company by 2010, most valuable in the world? His death?

22. The film as a celebration of an American entrepreneur, genius, promoter, and his place in 21st century technological developments?