Have you ever asked Siri “Do you love me?” Try it now, go on. See what response you get. The most affectionate reply we received (after multiple attempts) was “Well, you’re starting to grow on me.” Thanks, Siri. Considering the amount of time we spend glued to our iPhones—fully devoted to them, relying on them for our daily lives to function, being completely lost and not knowing what to do with ourselves when they’re not around—you’d think the object of our affection would be a little more reciprocal. After watching Steve Jobs, you might start to notice a connection between iOS and its father: is Siri’s emotionless, slightly cold temperament based upon Jobs’ own personality?
Steve Jobs gives us an inside peek of Apple’s digital revolution and the man behind it all. The story unfurls backstage at the launches of three pivotal products: the Macintosh, the NeXTcube (no, we don’t remember either) and the iMac.
As he was such a focal point of modern technology, Jobs was closely scrutinised all over the media. This movie reveals the more human side of Jobs, showing us he wasn’t just a machine like his creations. Michael Fassbender (who plays Jobs in the film) depicts the deeply buried, less-publicised facets of this complex digital-age guru. Over the two hours of this drama, Jobs’ feelings of rejection and self-loathing are made evident. We are given insight into the cause of his psychological hang-ups, such as being given up for adoption as a new-born, and how these all ultimately affect his family life, his health, and his existence as a whole.
The movie isn’t just about Jobs’ deep-rooted emotions, though. We also learn more about Apple’s innovative, ground-breaking technology. The Macintosh was an icon of its time, which most of us (who are old enough) remember vividly. Looking at it now, it seems so outdated; but it was a pioneer in kick-starting a technological transformation. Contributing to Jobs’ fear of failing, the film shows the crash and burn of the NeXTcube. Jobs achieves vindication in the third and final act, though, with the release of the iMac.
It is easy to judge someone held in the public eye for so long and to feel we know them. Watching Steve Jobs gives you a new take on your previous opinions of the late Apple CEO. He truly was a modern-day genius, but now we are able to see another side of the legendary Steve Jobs.
| Director: Danny Boyle |
Stars: Michael Fassbender, Kate Winslet, Seth Rogan & Jeff Daniels |
| Writer: Aaron Sorkin |
Based on: Steve Jobs: The Exclusive Biography by Walter Isaacson |
