Steve Jobs (2015 Film)
Steve Jobs is a 2015 biographical drama film directed by Danny Boyle and written by Aaron Sorkin. This British-American co-production is adapted from the 2011 biography "Steve Jobs" by Walter Isaacson. The film stars Michael Fassbender as Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple Inc, with Kate Winslet portraying Joanna Hoffman, Seth Rogen as Steve Wozniak, and Jeff Daniels as John Sculley.
Development and Production
The development of "Steve Jobs" began in 2011 after acquiring the rights to Isaacson's biography. The film's production saw several changes in its crew and cast, with Boyle and Sorkin eventually taking the helm. Filming commenced in January 2015, involving locations that were significant in the life of Jobs, such as the original Macintosh launch location.
Editor Elliot Graham started his work while the film was still in production, ensuring that the film's narrative pace was sharp and engaging. The score, composed by Daniel Pemberton, was distinctly divided into three sections, each representing different eras of Jobs’s career.
Plot
The film is structured into three acts, each set prior to one of Apple's iconic product launches: the Macintosh in 1984, the NeXT Computer in 1988, and the iMac in 1998. Within these settings, the film delves into Jobs's complex relationships with his colleagues and family. The narrative explores his interactions with Hoffman, his former marketing chief, and Wozniak, his co-founder at Apple, along with personal conflicts, especially regarding his daughter, Lisa Brennan-Jobs.
Reception
"Steve Jobs" premiered at the 2015 Telluride Film Festival and was released in a limited capacity in New York City and Los Angeles on October 9, 2015. It opened nationwide in the United States on October 23, 2015, receiving positive critical acclaim for its performances, direction, and screenplay, though it was also criticized for historical inaccuracies.
Despite positive critical reception, the film grossed $34.4 million worldwide against a budget of $30 million. Key figures in Jobs's life, including Wozniak and Sculley, praised the portrayals of the characters, attributing authenticity to the relationships depicted.
Historical Context
The film's portrayal of Steve Jobs marks an era in technology that saw significant evolution and transformation. It showcases pivotal moments in the history of personal computing and highlights Jobs's influence on technology and design.