Steve Jobs is structured more like a stage production than a traditional film. Boyle and Sorkin tell Jobs' story through a trio of long-cut scenes that take place behind-the-scenes at the product launches for three of his most important: the original Macintosh computer in 1984, the NeXT computer in 1988 and the iMac in 1998. The formula may sound like it skims on the details, but each scene is stuffed to the brim with insight on Jobs' career and more importantly, what made him tick. By focusing on a microcosm of Jobs' life instead of telling his entire life story in two hours, Steve Jobs is able to provide a very interesting and original take on the biopic.
Through the series of conversations and events that take place backstage at these product launches, the fillmmakers highlight the relationships and characteristics that defined Jobs as a man and document how he became one of the wealthiest men in the world. Sorkin's writing has a way of accentuating a notable person's brilliance and impressive accomplishments without shying away from their flaws and Steve Jobs is no different. For every bit that portrays Jobs as a tech-visionary and marketing genius, the film also shines a spotlight on his holier-than-thou attitude to his associates at Apple and disowning of his first-born daughter and ex-girlfriend, who were on welfare around the time he became a billionaire. Steve Jobs doesn't hold back from damning details and legitimate criticism of its subject and Sorkin's ability to expose those human character flaws makes the film so much more realistic and satisfying than most biopics.
This film's brilliant construction and writing is amplified by career best work from Michael Fassbender. Fassbender's performance is every bit as uncompromising and ferocious as the man he portrays. Scene after scene, Fassbender captures Jobs' intense, condescending persona by hurling pointed insults at everyone that challenges his vision and dealing with family and business issues in the poorest ways humanly possible. It's a bold, in-your-face performance that drives film's chaotic nature and is pretty much bound to stick with you for a long, long time.
The electric energy that makes Steve Jobs such an adrenaline-fueled viewing experience is also its greatest weakness. The film is such a whirlwind that you miss some of the bits of insight and interesting information that it drops along the way. The revolving door of conversations also takes away from the impact the supporting players have on the story. Seth Rogen and Jeff Daniels both have moments of scene-stealing excellence as Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak and former Apple CEO John Sculley, but their impact isn't as great as it should be given how limited their time on screen is. While this film is clearly designed to be a profile of Jobs' life and legacy, it would've been interesting if the film had spent a little more time exploring Wozniak and Sculley, who both played an integral role in Jobs' success. Steve Jobs is a masterclass in biopic filmmaking that will undoubtedly go down as one of the finest cinematic accomplishments of 2015.
4/5 Stars
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