Plot: What’s it about?
You can say what you will about the late Steve Jobs, but it’s hard to deny his accomplishments. I’m grateful every time I play on my Smart Phone and certainly the extensive use I’ve gotten out of my iPod. His achievements were extensive long before the smart phone was invented. It’s hard to believe a film based on his life took so long to reach the silver screen. I would’ve never picked a star like Ashton Kutcher to play him either, but that’s beside the point. The film begins in 1974 where we see a young Steve Jobs at his college campus up to the creation of the iPod. It offers some specifics into his earlier life to the creation of Apple itself. Some elements are more interesting than others (how he comes up with naming his company Apple is one of the more interesting). We also see the side of him that wasn’t ready to become a father. I enjoyed the relationship between he and his childhood friend and future partner, Steve Wozniak (Josh Gad). The scenes between the two were the most effective. We also see the side of Jobs that’s a perfectionist and how he doesn’t always work well with others. We also see the birth of the business that started in a garage. I also liked some of the scenes where Jobs recruits additional workers. I admit that I actively avoided the film during its theatrical run, but I am now glad that I gave it a chance. I still think a better actor could’ve played Jobs and that a better film about Steve Jobs can still be made. What’s interesting is that the film completely avoids Job’s illness and ultimately, his death. I’m not sure exactly why the film avoided that element, but there’s enough elsewhere to keep us preoccupied.
As I watched this film I was reminded of another recent biopic; Lovelace. That’s the film starring Amanda Seyfried as the porno star, Linda Lovelace. Obviously, she and Jobs were vastly different people, but both films chronicling their lives only skim the surface. Jobs does offer a nice look into the life of Steve Jobs, but it never becomes an overly exceptional film. It entertains and moves at a brisk pace, but is decidedly average when you think about the technological achievements that Jobs accomplished. At times the resemblance that Kutcher shares with Steve Jobs is uncanny, but there’s something missing from his performance. There are a number of scenes that could and SHOULD have more emotional impact than they do, but Kutcher just can’t deliver to those demands. I smirked a few times at some of the more serious moments. Still, I do think the film is worth a look. Don’t expect it to change your life or blow you away in any way. It offers just enough entertainment value to warrant a rental. It’s not exactly something I would revisit any time soon, but I’m glad I saw it. As I mentioned, I do think a better film about Steve Jobs has yet to be made, but in the meantime, this will suffice.
Video: How’s it look?
The image here is impressive. The 70’s style and décor are rendered well here with sharp colors and rich details on clothing textures and various background shots. The black levels are deep and strong and flesh tones accurate. Kutcher sports some scruffy facial hair during much of the film and the stray hairs show up with plenty of clarity. I couldn’t detect any grain or other print flaws. The image is AVC encoded and in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio.
Audio: How’s it sound?
The DTS HD track is good, but nothing too robust. Truth be told, this was never a film intended to shake the room, so to speak. It still delivers the film well with nice clarity and strong sounding vocals. The soundtrack includes some nice 70’s tunes and those make good use of the rear channels to provide some good detail. The track should please and offers a smooth balance throughout.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This combo pack includes a DVD copy along with a digital copy code. Sadly, none of the extras offer much substance at all. A documentary about Steve Jobs would’ve been a welcome compliment to accompany this film, but sadly that’s not the case.
- Audio Commentary – Joshua Michael Stern (Producer/Director) provides a track for the film.
- Deleted Scenes (3:31) – Three short scenes here, nothing worth getting excited over.
- Jobs: Behind the Score (3:27) – A brief glimpse at look at the composer of the film.
- Ashton Kutcher is Steve Jobs (2:28) – As you can see by the length, there’s nothing detailed here at all, sadly.
- The Legacy of Steve Jobs (2:47) – Again, that brevity thing. This feature is far too short to offer anything of use.
- Previews
- DVD/UltraViolet Copy
