Stirring performances from Michael Fassbender as the departed tech maven and Kate Winslet as his harried advisor, along with an impressive if high concept script by Aaron Sorkin, are the highlights in this underwhelming quasi-biopic. Director Danny Boyle's signature kinetic style is put on a leash here, as he tackles Jobs in the minutes leading up to three of his best-known product launches. Essentially we see versions of Jobs in the 80's, 90's and 00's, as he maddeningly slights and dismisses the people around him with impunity. In this respect, the film delivers an honest profile of a deeply flawed man.

This Jobs is in denial about his paternity to a young daughter, technologically incapable and basically just a glorified bully. However, through intelligence and utter unwillingness to compromise, Jobs always manages to succeed, and innovate along the way. Ultimately, the film undercuts its unique insider take on the mythic figure by shoehorning in a reconciliation with his daughter just before Jobs takes the stage to thunderous applause.

While the film itself will likely and rightfully be overlooked come awards time, Fassbender and Winslet's performances, along with Sorkin for writing, are all worthy of Oscar nominations. I believe this is a simple case of matching the right project with the wrong director. As skilled as Boyle is, the confined structure of the script, unfolding exclusively in interiors, plays more like a stage production, and not to his visual strengths. It may also just be too soon after Jobs' 2011 death for a fairly reverential tribute film to a person of questionable character.

Final Grade: B- | 81/100 | ★★½