Was Steve Jobs on the spectrum? He must have been, right? With his acute attunement to all things technical and severe disjoint from anything resembling empathy, there’s no way that guy didn’t have at least Asperger’s syndrome. The most striking thing about Ashton Kutcher’s portrayal of Steve Jobs is the massive discrepancy between an acute understanding of what the masses want and the indifference to those who comprise his immediate personal world.
Jobs forgives Steve, implying that his poorly chosen social behavior is excused by his messiah-like qualities. To some extent, this is true of the man who built Apple Computers. After all, would history care if we discovered Alexander the Great had bad breath? No, we only cared that Oliver Stone found him the ultimate momma’s boy. OK, bad example.
In retrospect, Jobs seems less like a biopic and more like a 1950s report card:
Math: A Steve does fine work.
Science: A
Social Studies: A
English: A
Innovation: A++
Business: B Steve is very sharp, but sometimes loses the bigger picture.
Posture: D Often hunches, especially when walking.
Citizenship: D- Steve does not play well with others.
Hygiene: F
We meet Steve at Reed College in 1974, where his lack of shoes, showering capability and current student status doesn’t interfere with his ability to score. Kudos, Mr. Jobs; you were definitely born at the right time. He sees things others don’t. At first, we attribute this to acid, but when he gets excited over the idea of a personal computer, we start understanding his exceptional vision. The forming of Apple is fun, as is Jobs’ constant manipulation of lesser minds – he is a Jedi. The story buckles when we explore the business side of Apple. For an hour in the middle, Jobs feels like a product 
placement ad highlighted by one guy beating his head against a wall. There is the occasional moment of fun, like when Steve gives it to Bill Gates over the phone. I’m sure the producers loved that rant even if the audience didn’t.
Jobs makes a point that outcastes and rebels are to be valued in our society, but beneath it seems to be espousing the idea that a man of such vision is entitled to behave poorly. Who cares if Steve Jobs is a philandering, disloyal, primitive jerk – he’s awesome! There are different rules for awesome. And who’s to say what’s bad when Steve Jobs is consistently surrounded by even slimier human beings: the wishy-washy Mike Markkula (Dermot Mulroney),the incompetent John Sculley (Matthew Modine), the asshole board chairman Arthur Rock (J.K. Simmons). Sure, surround anybody with such lowlifes and he’ll look better by comparison. The only guy who truly comes off unscathed is Jobs’ right-hand, Steve Wozniak (Josh Gad). This film wants to celebrate Steve Jobs, legend. I’m left with Steve Jobs: genius, prophet, and legendary jackass.
Steve was out to break new ground
In computer invention surround
Had many a scrapple
Inventing the Apple
Good biopic? “File not found”
Rated PG-13, 122 Minutes
D: Joshua Michael Stern
W: Matt Whiteley
Genre: Love letter
Type of person most likely to enjoy this film: Apple executives
Type of person least likely to enjoy this film: John Sculley
