STEVE JOBS: THE MAN IN THE MACHINE

US, 2015, 128 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Alex Gibney.

Steve Jobs, computer expert, founder of Apple, initiator of the iPod and other devices, died at the age of 55. There have been two feature films about him, the first, Jobs, where he is played by Ashton Kutcher who physically resembles the young Jobs. The second film was Steve Jobs, where he is played by Oscar-nominated Michael Fassbender. While the former gives some kind of biography, the latter focuses on three particular launches and explores the character of Jobs as well as indicating aspects of his life focusing on these events.

In the same year, prolific documentary filmmaker Alex Gibney, Oscar-winner for Taxi to the Darkside and celebrated for his explorations of Lance Armstrong, Scientology, Enron…, released this study of Jobs with Gibney himself during the narration.

This film fills in more background about Jobs’ life, his initial education, precocity, his love for Japan, his work with Steve Wozniak, their work in the garage, the founding of Apple, his falling out with Wozniak, his role in Apple, his being separated from the company, the invitation for him to return, his new success, the development of the iPod, his collaboration with other workers.

Gibney is critical of Jobs as a person, his general lack of empathy for people, his perfectionism and relentless demands, his touches of ruthlessness and brutality, especially in personal relationships, wife and children, and the issue of his daughter Lisa. Gibney also highlights some ethical difficulties in his financial arrangements, offshore investments, establishing of the firm in Ireland, his treatment of Chinese workers and their conditions and salaries – which means that, although he had an extraordinary influence on all our lives and technology, and was mourned by so many at his death, on the personal level he is legitimately open to critique.

1. The films of Alex Gibney? His talent, observation, critique? Admiring Jobs or not? His assessment? His doing the narration?

2. The use of footage, of Jobs over the years, his early appearance, late appearance? Interviews with his associates? He assessment of his work, his character? The excerpt from his daughter, Lisa? The assembling of all the interview material, editing, comparisons and contrasts?

3. Audience knowledge of Jobs and his achievement, his life? His being so widely mourned at death?

4. Gibney’s perspective of significant 20th-century world leaders and their capacity for change? Admiration? Einstein, Gandhi…? Jobs as a lesser mortal?

5. The technical history, his education, the garage, the early work, the collaboration with Steve Wozniak, the forming of the company? His clashes, falling out with people, with Wozniak? HIs being excluded from his company, the years away? His business sense, ideas, obsessions, the invitation to return, CEO, his emphasis on computers, the development of the iPod and its effect?

6. The scenes illustrating Jobs as a showman, the launches, the glamour, the style, the push?

7. News clips, comments about Apple? The interviews, the range? Seeing him in retrospect?

8. Jobs as a person, his education, his family, his marriage, his neglect of Lisa, his children, lack of support, keeping a distance? The visits to Japan, his continued fascination with Japan, perfection? Taking Lisa to Japan and the effect on her, diet…? Finance, his deals, back taxes, setting up the company in Ireland, offshore cover, the Chinese in the factories, their not being paid well…? Ruthless? Money?

9. Jobs, and dying at 55, and death, his achievement, his influence on the world?

10. Yet the underlying obsession, brutality and ruthlessness?

11. This film in comparison with the fiction feature films with Ashton Kutcher and with Michael Fassbender?