The film “Steve Jobs” tells the story of one of the cofounders of Apple computers, specifically focusing on the pivotal period in Job’s career, 1984 to 1994, when the computer company developed the Mac, NeXT and the iPod. It also deals with the contentious relationship Jobs had with his ex-girlfriend and mother of his child, a daughter that Jobs denies is his.
The cast includes Michael Fassbender as Steve Jobs; Kate Winslet stars as Joanna Hoffman, a marketing executive and confident of Jobs. Seth Rogen is Steve Wozniak, who cofounded Apple. Jeff Daniels plays former Apple CEO John Sculley.
This film tells a not-very-interesting story of a chief executive of a well-known computer company and the development of its products. This movie doesn’t get the job done. Story-driven films are hard to do. Unlike science fiction films, which can rely upon high-tech special effects, dramas such as “Steve Jobs” have to have a solid story and superior acting—and this film has neither.
Fassbender comes across as much more GQ than the real Jobs did. Further, Fassbender lacks the charisma and on-screen presence to carry the lead role as the title character. And although the history of Apple computers may be of interest to diehard techies. this story is told in a way that is unlikely to entertain anyone else. The writing is inadequate. The characters are all very verbal in a way that makes Aaron Sorkin, the screenwriter, appear to be trying to convince everyone just how smart he is.
The movie has a grainy texture. Maybe the director thought this technique appropriate because the film is set in the 1980s and 1990s, to create more of an “in the past” aura.
In our cast diversity rating, “Steve Jobs” gets a D. John Ortiz, who plays writer Joel Pforzheimer, is the only person of color with a substantive role in the film. Because this film is based on a true story, the characters should be of the same races as the people they portray. However, this movie doesn’t even have people of color in background scenes, which would be a very easy thing to do.
“Steve Jobs” is two hours long and rated “R” for language.
With all the entertainment options available, this film is simply not worth your time and money. It gets a “Dead on Arrival” rating.