STEVE JOBS
US, 2015, 122 minutes, Colour.
Michael Fassbender, Kate Winslet, Seth Rogen, Jeff Daniels, Michael Stuhlabarg, Katherine Waterston, Perla Haneyi- Jardine, Sarah's Snook, John Ortiz, Adam Shapiro.
Directed by Danny Boyle.
This is a portrait of Steve Jobs rather than a biography. It would be very helpful for appreciating this film to know some details about Jobs, his life, his work on computers, his Apple company, his rise, his fall, his making a comeback. The previous film, Jobs, stirring Ashton Kutcher as Steve Jobs supplied a great deal of personal and professional background.
This film has been directed by Danny Boyle who began his career in British television with some Inspector Morse mysteries, achieved a reputation with such films as Shallow Grave and Transporting, working in a variety of genres, including science fiction, and won an Oscar for Slumdog Millionaire.
And, the film has been written by Aaron Sorkin, again, a man with a significant reputation with such television series as The West Wing and scripting films like The American President, The Social Network and Moneyball.
For this portrait, Sorkin has chosen three launches which were significant in Jobs’ career, during the 1980s and 1990s. There are quite a number of flashbacks illustrating something of the background but the audience needs some knowledge to anchor this in. They show Jobs in triumphant mode as well as under a great deal of stress, finally making a comeback.
Jobs was not particularly likeable man and Michael Fassbender, Oscar nominated performance, communicates this particularly well, hyper energetic, intense, a controller, intolerant of anyone who did not measure up to his standards, which meant abandoning friends and colleagues, dismissing them as failures in his eyes. He was also poor in more personal relationships, living under the cloud of being adopted and seemingly rejected, unwilling to acknowledge his daughter and her mother. He did have some moments of redemption, based on whims rather than convictions, often too late.
The film gives great deal of attention to preparations for the launches, a great deal of razzamatazz, precision with lights and audiovisuals. But, each episode shows his changing relationships with key characters.
These are impressively performed. Seth Rogen is surprising in a more serious role in bringing his typical screen persona to the character, the computer whizz, Steve Wozniak, but, at each stage, with the differing relationship, trying to persuade Jobs to acknowledge his past workers, his frustration and feelings of a betrayal of trust more and more evident.
Jeff Daniels appears as John Sculley who was recruited from Pepsi-Cola? to manage the Apple company, had to dismiss Jobs, moved into retirement but appears at each launch. The continuing discussion is about Jobs’ need for a father-figure in his life.
Another worker is Andy Herzfeld, played by Michael Stuhlbard, not liked by Jobs, nor liking him, but, having followed Jobs’ orders so long, so highly demanding, breaks with him and gives financial support to Jobs’ daughter to enrol at Harvard.
And, all the time, there is Jobs’ assistant, Joanna Hoffman, who exhibits the patience of a saint, always loyal to Jobs, not only fulfilling all his commands but diplomatically smoothing over so many situations, especially towards his daughter and her mother, going through thick and thin, the only person who could seem to love him. This is an excellent performance by Kate Winslet.
Once again, it should be stressed that this is not a biography of Steve Jobs although audiences can learn a great deal about his life. Rather, it is a significant portrait, illuminating one of the key personalities in communications in the 20th century.
1. Steve Jobs as a 20th century personality, significant, his contribution? The film’s acknowledgement?
2. Steve Jobs as a person, ego, self-confident, his achievement? Arrogant personality, intolerant, not a team worker, ungracious towards members of the team – and with subjective reasons for his stances? In himself, the encounter with Chrisann, the birth of Lisa, his refusal to acknowledge, the background of the court case, his evidence, the 28% of men possible for her father? The effect on him, the effect on Chrisann, on Lisa as she grew up? His treatment of Woz, working with him, later criticisms? John Sculley, his different roles as chairman of the board, firing Jobs? Joanna, the Polish background, the loyalty to Jobs, her feelings? His being fired, his company and its failure, going back to Apple, his rise, the -iPad? Dying comparatively young?
3. Audience knowledge about Jobs in his life (and the value of seeing Ashton Kutcher as Jobs in Jobs?
4. Michael Fassbender, performance? Awards, nominations? Each of the principal cast having their own dramatic scene? The work of the director, from the UK and his American perspective?
5. The framework: the three launches, each section about 40 minutes length, the effect, cumulative?
6. Each launch, the venues, 1984, 1988, 1998? Jobs and his changing, age, look, clothes, less formal? Everything stage-managed, the huge halls, the seating, amplification, the lights, queues, visuals, the rehearsals, the special effects, the reaction of the audiences?
7. The main characters at each stage of the film? Present at the launches? The significance of the flashbacks? The audience understanding them better? Their changing?
8. Joanna, Kate Winslet’s presence, awards? Over the years, diligence, efficiency, being exasperated, personal and advice, with Chrisann and Lisa? With John Sculley? With Woz? With Andy? The production, the rehearsals, the timing? Interactions with Andrea on the floor? Her declaration of love?
9. Lisa, at each stage, not acknowledged by Jobs, her relationship with her mother? The mother, the visits, the demands on Jobs, weeping? Bills, doctors, cash, Jobs giving her the money to buy the house? Her hobbies, seeming extravagance, her health, sinus trouble, her continually cajoling him? Taking his time? The young Lisa, at the launch, her drawing on the computer? At 19, at the University, at Harvard, Andy paying the fees, Jobs and his reaction, the harsh encounter with Andy? His being upset at Chrisann selling the house? Lisa finally attending the launch, and his explanation of the name of the computer, her name?
10. Woz, their work in the past, scruffy man, good friend, working in the garage, the computed details and production, success? Later failures, the loss of income, the firing? Woz being hurt? At each launch, wanting acknowledgement of the team, Jobs refusing, even to pay compliments? The buildup to the final confrontation and Woz and his determination in telling the truth, walking out?
11. Andy, his work, Jobs and his demand that the computer say hello? The disputes, using his wits, the touch of cheating, the success? His work, contribution, his love for Lisa, paying her fees, at each of the launches, going to see Jobs, declaring that he didn’t like him?
12. John Sculley, a father figure, the discussions about Jobs and his adoption, his being returned after one month, his feelings about family? As head of Pepsi, chairman of the board, success with Apple, the chief, the confrontations with Jobs, the explanations, the board meeting, their firing of jobs? The later meetings, Jobs and why he was ousted? No financial success? The media reports throughout the film indicating Jobs and his failures and success? Sculley, the Newton, its failure, his being ousted, retiring? Coming to each launch? A businessman, a decent man, making some peace with Jobs?
13. The changes in Jobs, the continued edge, importance of timing, commands, demands, hiring and firing, the experience of not succeeding, coming back – and the promise of the iPod?
14. No information follow-up at the end of the film, the film simply a look at Steve Jobs, some admiration, and getting the audience to think about him and his achievement?
