Before the “Steve Jobs” screening, University Union told audience members to turn off their phones. While we participated in this usual ritual, I looked around and noticed the vast majority of people had iPhones, which were of course made by Apple. I couldn’t help but appreciate the irony that for a mere two hours, we would have to separate ourselves from these devices to watch the story of the man who thought it all up.

Once the film began, the audience was captivated by its electric energy. “Steve Jobs” is only focused on a few discrete events in his life but is played out in basically real time. The film finds a way to be a roller coaster of emotions and events. We get to see the internal hardware, no pun intended, of Steve Jobs. We don’t just see his technical genius, but also the way he thinks and interacts with people. Sometimes he does not say or do the right thing, but in every action, we see this iconic figure become more and more human. One would expect a film played out in real time to get somewhat stale, but due to Aaron Sorkin’s snappy dialogue and Danny Boyle’s magnetic direction; it flies.

 

This film is very business-oriented and number-focused, yet it always feels relatable thanks to the performances. Michael Fassbender might be too objectively attractive to play Steve Jobs, but in the role he is nothing short of captivating. Though he might not capture the physical essence of Jobs all the time, he captures his overall essence perfectly. You can see the genius and inspiration in his voice and in his eyes.

Though Fassbender anchors the film, the supporting characters also pump life into the narrative and counterbalance the dominance of Jobs’ personality. Kate Winslet is great as director of marketing, and Jobs’ assistant, Joanna. She is the heart to his brain, and really helps the audience understand who he is. She plays this role with a somewhat inconsistent Polish accent, but it serves the film and her characterization.

Finally, Seth Rogen and Jeff Daniels round out the ensemble, as Steve Wozniak and former Apple CEO John Sculley, respectively. They play two men who are not afraid to take Steve Jobs to task. They argue with him for their merits, and though these arguments are intense, they are equally fascinating and well performed.

Overall, audiences seemed to have a mixed reaction to the film, but ultimately Steve Jobs is a polarizing figure. Between how he handles his work and how he handles his family, we need really know what to make of him, but this mystery is what makes him such an elusive historical figure. This is a film that captures not only our perceptions of Steve Jobs, but also the truth of the man. He is not good, he is not bad; he is simply real. The movie itself is among the best of the year.

Erik Benjamin is a sophomore television, radio and film major. You can email him at ebenjami@syr.edu or follow him @embenjamin14 on Twitter.

 

Published on October 17, 2015 at 3:17 pm