Let me warn you. If you think Steve Jobs is the bee’s knees and can do no wrong, ever, please don’t read this. If you know nothing about Jobs and can’t think for yourself, please don’t read this. If you are one of those people who like to read other people’s POVs whether they align or differ from yours, than please do read this.
On October 5th, I screened the “Steve Jobs” film. It was followed up by a Q+A with Aaron Sorkin and Danny Boyle where they delve a bit more into the characters, process, and the basics of bringing this film together. I know nothing about Steve Jobs. The little I do know, or have heard about him has been really great or really bad. There was never a middle ground of indifference, unless they were in the same boat as myself.
My thoughts on the film – I liked it. I really did. Jobs, to me, was a prick. A smart business man? Absolutely not. A manipulative one who knew how to play everyone around him to get himself where he needed to be? Absolutely. Sometimes that’s what you need to make it in this world, but I don’t think it’s fair. You had a gaggle of geese around you for years, answering to your every beck and call, because they believed in YOU. And, though they never came out right and said it, it seemed a part of them hoped you believed and admired them just as much. Honestly, I just think that’s the whole dog-eat-dog, every man for himself, are self-centered sayings that people sprinkle around to the “lesser” to help themselves sleep at night.
My favorite characters were portrayed by Kate Winslet, Seth Rogan, and Michael Stuhlbarg. I want to know where they all are now. What are they doing? When did they decided to let go, if they ever did? Or were they forced out? From the Q+A, Woz is doing magic. Not because he’s down on his luck, but because that’s the sort of stuff you can do when you’ve made your money and have time to do whatever. But what about the people who helped Jobs get where he was….the ones who put up with it all. It’s easy to say, “Walk away,” but when you believe in an idea that YOU play such a large part in, it’s not easy to walk away. There were moments I thought everyone was going to going to form a coup and jump ship, but there was such an cultish loyalty that is seemed even sinister to think such a thing. It was interesting and scary to perceive a person in this light.
Now for the film in general. It was phenomenal. I have an obsession with speech and the manner in which it sounds, and there was something powerful about this. There was a rhythm. You know in chorus when they teach you rounds? That’s what it was like to me. It was like each line came in at the exact proper moment and finished right on time. Even during arguments, it was precise and perfect. The limitation on few intrinsic characters was also important to me. I don’t need to know your neighbor has a dog unless your dog attacks and disfigures you. You know? Give me the information I need. Not the extra crap that will stay in my memory because I may need it an hour later.
But, one of my favorite moments used no words at all. There’s a scene where Jennifer Hoffman, played by Kate Winslet, is wearing heels with socks and that’s all you notice. At least for me. I remember sitting there thinking, “How could they?!” Then when I remembered what year it was meant to be, it all made sense. Which sort of brings me to this last point. As Apple is till such a huge part of our generation, it was hard to grasp that this was so many years ago. Typically, when we’re looking back on the life of someone, we’re looking at it during a new era. Where most everything in the film has been replaced by something newer and greater. Where with Apple, it’s been replaced by no one and nothing.