Steve Jobs (English, 2015)

Aaron Sorkin pulls off the unthinkable by weaving a screenplay for a biopic around 3 major scenes (inspired by the Walter Isaacson book on Jobs), thereby throwing the conventional norms of writing for a biopic, out of the window! He comes pretty close to succeeding in such an experimental endeavor.

Director Danny Boyle & film editor Elliot Graham prove to be Aaron’s able partners in crime in attempting to pull this off with their own marked contributions to the presentation. The pacy back-and-forth cuts that take us through the fiasco involving Sculley’s (played by Jeff Daniels) boardroom betrayal of Jobs and the zigzagging camera-work (of Alwin Kuchler) on the potboiler of a conversation Jobs has with Wozniak during rehearsal are sure to send the viewer into delirium one way (if she had a fair idea earlier about the events shown) or the other (if she had no clue about Steve Jobs other than the fact that he was Apple’s main man!).

In terms of performances, Michael Fassbender tries to maintain a level of originality in his imitation of Jobs which, surprisingly, works! The dare & ‘devil may care’ attitude Jobs is known for is brought well on screen through his work and also through the array of reactions that Kate Winslet’s expressions carry in her role as Jobs’ troubled professional partner Joanna.

Among those supporting the lead players, the young and adolescent roles of Lisa, Seth Rogen’s Woz and Stuhlbarg’s Andy Hertzfeld have ‘meaty moments’ which add value. In Daniel Pemberton’s music, the grandeur of the massive scenes ably get lifted.

One can’t help but feel the film takes experimentation a tad too much that the story it tries to present becomes a victim itself. The sensation around some ‘defining’ moments in Jobs’ life are there but don’t create a lasting impact as they end up being fanciful.

This is more of a peek-into-character than a biopic or a character study as it presents the various perspectives and circumstances only to a few moments while others either just pass by or don’t.