Film

Jobs

Name: Jobs
Genre: Drama, History
Released: 2013
Cast: Ashton Kutcher, Josh Gad, Lukas Haas, Victor Rasuk, Eddie Hassell

Biopic

A straightforward biopic of Steve Jobs from dropout to Apple founder, spanning his early days through the first Macintosh. It's earnest and accessible, more interested in inspiration than complexity. Best for people who want a feel-good narrative about innovation and ambition rather than a searching portrait of a difficult man.

TMDb rating

3.1

If you liked this

The Social Network2010

Sharp, stylish chronicle of Facebook's founding that treats code and competition like drama. Fast-paced dialogue, genuinely funny, and it cares about the ideas as much as the personalities involved.

But Heavy on technical jargon in places, and the portrait of Zuckerberg is deliberately unflattering. Some find the rapid-fire wit exhausting rather than exhilarating.

Moneyball2011

Brad Pitt as a visionary trying to change his industry against institutional resistance. Smart, funny, and genuinely moving about the gap between talent and power. Perfectly constructed filmmaking.

But It's about baseball statistics, which sounds duller than it is, but the numbers-heavy sequences still lose some viewers. Also deliberately low-key in tone.

The Founder2016

Michael Keaton as Ray Kroc building McDonald's from nothing. Energetic, darkly funny, and unflinching about the ruthlessness required. Answers the question: what if Steve Jobs was actually kind of awful?

But It's cynical where Jobs is starry-eyed, which some find dispiriting. Moves quickly through decades, so character depth suffers.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Jobs

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Citizen Kane1941

Both are stories about charismatic innovators who reshape their fields through will and taste. But Welles was interested in moral corruption from the start—Kane is what happens when Jobs lived another 30 years with absolute power.

Orson Welles' masterpiece about a visionary entrepreneur who transforms an industry through force of will and ambition. It's the template for every biography of ambitious men—and it's 80 years old.

But Black and white, slow by modern standards, and deeply involved with cinema technique that requires attention. Not a conventional narrative.

Pirates of Silicon Valley1999

The rivalry between Apple and Microsoft in the '80s and '90s, genuinely gripping and witty. Noah Wyle is excellent as Jobs, and the script understands the stakes. It's the anti-hagiography.

But Made in 1999 so the tech details feel dated now. Also much more interested in conflict than inspiration—bleak where Jobs is hopeful.

Halt and Catch Fire2014

Five seasons of computer revolution drama with complex, changing characters. It's about the people inventing the future and how that drives them apart. Thoughtful, gorgeously shot, genuinely great.

But Slow burn that takes time to find its footing. No single visionary hero—the show deliberately spreads focus. Requires patience.

Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine2015

Documentary that doesn't sanitize, exploring the real human cost of his perfectionism and the contradictions he never resolved. Alex Gibney directing means it's rigorous and unsettling.

But It's uncomfortable and critical rather than inspirational. If you want to admire Jobs, this will complicate that. Very dark.

Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine poster

Hidden Figures2016

Innovation story told from the margins, about the brilliant women who made space exploration possible. Joyful, smart, and gets the math *and* the human stakes right.

But Very much a feel-good ensemble narrative rather than a deep character study. Some scenes prioritize inspiration over historical precision.

The Imitation Game2014

Benedict Cumberbatch as Alan Turing, the mathematician who cracked Enigma and helped birth computing. Elegant, tragic, and genuinely moving about intellectual isolation.

But Takes real liberties with history for dramatic effect. Becomes increasingly heavy and bleak in the third act. Some find Cumberbatch's performance mannered.

Godfather of Harlem2019

Forest Whitaker commanding six seasons as Bumpy Johnson rebuilding his empire in the '60s. Stylish, intelligent crime drama with real depth and beautiful cinematography.

But It's slow, methodical, and about power rather than invention. Violence is consequential and disturbing rather than thrilling. Very much a prestige show, not a crowd-pleaser.

Arrival2016

Both grapple with the question: what does innovation demand of you? But where Jobs is about ambition and success, Arrival asks what you give up in pursuit of transformation.

Amy Adams as a linguist trying to communicate with aliens, visually stunning and conceptually brilliant. It's about breakthrough thinking and what it costs to truly change how we see the world.

But Deliberately slow and introspective, with a gut-punch ending about sacrifice. Some find it frustratingly quiet for a sci-fi film. Heavy emotional toll.

Raging Bull1980

Both portrait obsessive men pursuing perfection in their field, but this film treats that obsession as pathology. Where Jobs asks 'isn't this great?', Raging Bull asks 'what have we become?'

Scorsese's black-and-white masterpiece about a man obsessed with perfection and control. Jake LaMotta's neurosis and genius are inseparable. Raw, brilliant, unforgettable cinema.

But Brutal, repetitive, utterly cheerless. Shot in stark black and white. The protagonist is deeply unlikeable and never learns. Some find it punishing to watch.