‘Steve Jobs’ film: Mixed reviews from Silicon Valley
Michael Fassbender, left, as Steve Jobs, and Seth Rogen as Steve Wozniak, in a scene from the film “Steve Jobs.”
Reporting from Mountain View, CA — Aaron Sorkin’s vision of “Steve Jobs” might be garnering Oscar buzz, but it faced a tough crowd in Silicon Valley when it opened Friday night, with some moviegoers giving it a nod of approval while others quite literally fell asleep.
At the Cinemark Theater multiplex adjacent to Google’s sprawling campus and a short drive from Apple’s own headquarters, the evening showings filled up quickly, with many moviegoers coming straight from work nearby, their office ID badges still attached to their belts.
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Ticket sales had been high, according to box-office workers, who said many of the showings were “very full” despite the theater dedicating more screens to the biopic than any other movie.
The crowd’s enthusiasm to buy tickets didn’t quite carry over to the movie, scripted by Sorkin and directed by Danny Boyle.
Midway through “Steve Jobs,” one woman could be heard gently snoring. Afterward, some moviegoers complained that it was “boring.”
“I wanted to know more about the launch of the iPad and the newer products,” said Francisco Hernandez, 27, a warehouse worker from the area. “I think they focused too much on the old stuff.”
“And it was too long!” his friend shouted as they made a beeline for the exit. “I fell asleep a few times!”
For those who stayed awake, “Steve Jobs” did perhaps one of the best things a movie can do: pique interest in its subject.
“I was surprised at how they covered the past, and now I want to go home and read up on it,” said Kim Gusman, 50, a stay-at-home mom from neighboring Los Altos.
“Living in this area, we know people who have worked at Apple and we’d heard [Jobs] was ‘quirky’ and a ‘genius,’ but we had no idea he was as difficult to work with as the movie made him out to be,” said Sue Murray, 55, a retiree also from Los Altos. “It raised a lot of questions. It was very intense.”
Meanwhile, a group of three who lingered outside the theater after the showing were less inclined to share their opinions on the film.
“We work at Apple,” said one, declining to give his name. “So I don’t think it’s a good idea for us to say anything.”
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