Steve Jobs: a genius

Love him or hate him, there is no denying that Steve Jobs, founder of Apple Computer, was a genius.

Jobs, the movie, is a biography which opens in 2001 with Steve Jobs (Kutcher) introducing the iPod at an Apple meeting and then segues back to 1974 when he had dropped out of university because he couldn’t afford it but was still attending classes.

After a sojourn in India with his friend Daniel Kottke (Haas), Jobs moves back to his family home in Los Altos, California and teams up with Steve Wozniak (Gad).

Wozniak had developed a PC and it is presented for the first time at one of the bi-weekly meetings of the Homebrew Computer Club, recognised by many as the crucible for an entire industry.

This leads to a contract for 50 units which ultimately results in the founding of Apple after an injection of capital from Mike Markulla (Mulroney).

With the introduction of the Apple II, the company becomes very successful and Jobs becomes distant from old friends who have been with him from the start.

Disagreements between Jobs and the Apple Board lead to the appointment – at Jobs’ insistence – of John Sculley (Modine) as CEO of Apple.

After Jobs’ behaviour becomes increasingly erratic, it is Sculley who eventually forces him out of the company.

In 1996 Jobs is enticed to return to the company. He becomes CEO and Apple reaches the pinnacle of its success.

There is plenty of discussion about the accuracy of the film’s portrayal of events – Wozniak claims many of the scenes in the movie never happened but agrees to its need for dramatic licence.

Still, it’s a gripping story which is should enthrall techies lovers.