Jobs: About That Biopic … …

5th February, 2015.

You know, just for once … ?   Just for once … ?

Just for once, I’m going to put the poster on the left hand side.

No, really.

Normally, when I write about the films I watch, I tend to put the posters on the right hand side of the post: and write the text down the left.

Tonight … ?

I thought I’d swap.

A bit.

Frankly … ?

I’m in something of an odd mood, to be honest.   And felt the change would be a good thing: however actually minor the change may be.

At ANY rate … ?

At any rate, I had a quiet night in, tonight.

A quiet night in … and a few films in the collection I’d not actually sat down and watched.

Including the one I’ve just finished watching, not twenty minutes ago.

The 2013 biopic that is … 

Jobs.

And yes: much as I’m a fan of both Apple — as a maker of rather good products — and of the man himself — very few CEO’s are that charismatic — I’m not sure the film managed to hit the mark …

~≈Ê≈~

The film opens in 2001: by showing us Ashton Kutcher as the late Apple co-counder, Steve Jobs, presenting the original version of the iPod.

Then, moving backwards through time, to 1974: to the time when Jobs dropped out of Reed College, but still managed to take some classes.

Then manages to fast forward to meeting Apple co-founder, Steve Wozniak, and early employee, Dan Kottke: and the initial setting up of the company, its funding by Mike Markkula, and Jobs ousting from the firm he’d originally built.

From there … ?

The film next stops — or NeXT stops! — at Jobs rehiring by the Apple board.

Rehiring … 

And moving the company on to some for of success.

~≈Ê≈~

Now … 

About not hitting the mark … ?

Yes, I’m think I’m right: I don’t know that the Joshua Michael Stern directed Jobs did hit any kind of mark.

Oh, as far as I can see the film has a good cast: Kutcher, in the title role, does well enough, with Josh Gad standing out* as Steve Wozniak, and Giles Matthey as Sir Jonathan Ive doing capably enough.

Personally … ?

Personally, though, I felt the film was relatively lightweight.

Oh, granted, it covers the main points of Steve Jobs’ time with Apple, well enough: but doesn’t go into any depth.

At least, not enough to satisfy me.

It ignores — or overlooks — the time Jobs spent at NeXT computers, and he work he put in, setting up Pixar.

AND manages to overlook the fact Jobs and Wozniak’s first commercial venture … ?

Was building and selling blue boxes — devices that allowed one to make free phone calls — to assorted phone phreaks and … ah … shadier members of the community.

Details can be important, I think.

~≈Ê≈~

Speaking personally … ?

I have to conclude that Jobs … is good … 

Good, but also flawed.

Frankly … ?

It could well have been better.

Jobs
★☆☆☆

*        Anyone doing a film about Steve Jobs — or Apple — can’t ignore those two.   The film — rightly, I felt — presents Steve Jobs as being the business head that powered Apple to its early success: AND, on returning, helped turned it into the business Goliath it is, now.   But … ?   But you can’t overlook Wozniak’s role in designing the original Apple 1 and 2 computer: nor can you overlook Jonny Ive’s work on the original iMacs, or iPods, in the company’s success.