After many productions problems, the long-awaited Steve Jobs biopic, from the acclaimed director Danny Boyle and renowned screenwriter Aaron Sorkin, Steve Jobs, has arrived and, after a delay, I have finally seen it and come to a verdict so sink your teeth into an Apple and read my review of the film.

When details of this film first emerged, I still remember being so excited for it. At first, there was news of Leonardo DiCaprio getting the role, before Christian Bale's name came into the mix. However, both actors dropped out the running and there was a period of time where no one knew what was happening with the film, due to all sorts of script and director and cast and studio problems but then Michael Fassbender got cast as our eponymous tech genius and the film was underway. Now, about a year on, the film has actually released - one of my most anticipated of the year too - and I'm so happy to say that this didn't disappoint. Steve Jobs is one of the best films of the year, without a shadow of doubt. This sublime, compelling biopic is intense, thoroughly enthralling and a masterful feat of filmmaking.

Spanning just over a decade, from 1984 to 1998, Steve Jobs takes us behind the curtain of three major product launches - the Mackintosh computer in 84, the NeXT computer in 88 and the launch of the iMac in 98 - that kick started the titular tech wiz (Michael Fassbender)'s notorious career, giving us a deep insight into his mind and his early life and his rise to stardom over 15 significant years of his life. However, during these years, Jobs also suffered a lot of problems. From the inner conflicts that started within his company, leading to conflicts between Jobs and his colleagues - most especially with his friend Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak (Seth Rogen) - to family problems and a daughter he didn't know about being thrust into his life, all whilst trying to change the world with his technology, he was a man that was trying to innovate with his creations all whilst facing some serious struggles.

Of course, when you have a script by Aaron Sorkin with Danny Boyle on directing duties and such a stellar cast, expectations are bound to be high and Steve Jobs did not disappoint. The screenplay is everything you want it to be and Sorkin's fingerprints are all over it, with his trademark, meaty dialogue. This is an sublime, intensely dialogue-driven piece of film and the script is so juicy with such witty and wonderful writing that it's hard not to get so gripped by it all. This film is very character driven, taking us deep into the minds of its frontrunners; most especially Jobs, and Fassbender kills it in the role. He may not look like the man himself but he gets so into the role that it doesn't matter because we still believe him as Jobs and only see him as Jobs. Fassbender really gets into the skin of the entrepreneur and gives an intense, intimate performance: one that is surely deserved of some Oscar buzz. And the supporting cast all stun too, in their roles. The characters are so brilliantly nuanced, as is each performance, and this is such a superbly well-acted film.

Everything about Steve Jobs hits the nail on the head. The acting is masterful and everyone knocks it out of the park (Rogen gives a brilliant dramatic turn here); the cinematography is crisp and beautiful and this is a sleek, stylish and gorgeously shot film; Sorkin's script is so enthralling and deliciously written; the directing is of high finesse and Boyle's craftsmanship is elegant and his attention to detail, meticulous - like a fine paintbrush on a canvas. From start to finish, this is a richly sublime and very intense character study that is thoroughly compelling and massively entertaining, as we peel back layer after layer of the notorious Apple founder. If there's a problem to be found in this film, it's that Sorkin's script sometimes coflicts with Boyle's directing, and vice versa. The two are incredible, and have a very unique style, when it comes to what they do - be it writing or directing - but sometimes they just don't mesh well so their different stylistic techniques of both can occasionally get in the way of one another. And, of course, as is with any biopic, the line between fact and fiction is a thin one so it's hard to tell just how true to Steve Jobs this actually is - especially considering that some people who knew or worked with him have said that this veers far from the truth. However, it's only a minor flaw in what is, otherwise, a stunning piece of cinematic art. Steve Jobs is utterly phenomenal and a riveting and breathtaking feat of filmmaking and cinema.

VERDICT:
Masterfully directed, remarkably written and astoundingly acted, Steve Jobs is quite simply, one of the best films of the year.

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About the Author

Awais Irfan
Founder of Oasis Awais, and avid lover of life, Awais Irfan's love of writing and film is unequivocal. Ever since he was a little kid, he has loved the cinematic experience; so much so, he is studying Film Production in Glasgow and hopes to be the next "big thing" in directing.

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