This biographical feature is directed by Joshua Michael Stern and stars Ashton Kutcher, Dermot Mulroney, Josh Gad, and Lukas Haas. It centers around the life of Apple co-founder and visionary Steve Jobs (Kutcher), specifically the years between the company's conception in the 1970s to its return from economic trouble in the '90s. In 1974, Jobs is a college dropout who teams up with his brilliant neighbor, Steve Wozniak (Gad) to perfect the latter's invention, a home computer -- the Apple 1. In his parents' garage in the Silicon Valley, and with the help of Wozniak, some friends, and a gutsy investor (Mulroney), the group launches one of the largest, most valuable companies in the world. Of course, the road to success wasn't easy or quick. Along the way, many changes -- including Wozniak's departure and Jobs being unseated from his CEO position -- threatened Apple's very existence. Jobs pulled it back from the brink -- and then some -- in a way only a visionary could do with his creation. The film was garnering mixed - to - bad reviews, so I was initially hesitant to spend money on a movie ticket. However, I was pleasantly surprised. The writing was sharp, the directing very nuanced, and the acting was great (Ashton actually made a pretty good Jobs....and most of the actors physically resembled their characters very closely). I wish the film had encompassed more time; it ends just as Apple's "Golden Era" is about to begin, and about six years away from the revolutionary iPod introduction (the flash forward opening scene was a nice touch, though). I may be asking too much, because it is a lot of ground to cover, and I understand the stylistic choice that the filmmakers made. Is it extraordinary? No. It's very enjoyable, and quite a nice film, but not a masterpiece. That being said, I do think it deserves more credit that it is being given.
Should you see it: Yes
Grade: B
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