The upcoming Steve Jobs biopic has attracted a lot of criticisms from those who were close to the late Apple co-founder, with the likes of the company’s current CEO Tim Cook and its Chief Design Officer Jony Ive each stating that they believed Hollywood was capitalizing upon his death, and negatively sensationalizing his life in order to make a more appealing drama.
Director Danny Boyle told us in a revealing interview “that the intention of what you’re doing is to bring these people back down to earth again” and humanize Steve Jobs, showing both his successes and his flaws. Now the film’s writer Aaron Sorkin has also spoken out about its intentions, insisting that his “conscience is clear” regarding his script, and claiming that it’s a fair and accurate portrayal of Jobs’ life.
Speaking at a press conference during Steve Jobs‘ European premiere event in London, Sorkin admitted that some of the events in the movie had been altered, though spoke of how said: “Steve Jobs did not, as far as I know, have confrontations with the same six people 40 minutes before every product launch. That is plainly a writer’s conceit.”
He continued: “But I do think that the movie gets at some larger truths, some more important truths than what really went on during the 40 minutes before product launches, which I don’t think was the stuff of drama. What you see is a dramatisation of several personal conflicts that he had in his life, and they illustrate something, they give you a picture of something. Are they fair? I do believe they’re fair. My conscience is clear.”
Aaron Sorkin at the BFI London Film Festival. (Image Credit: Gareth Cattermole / Getty Images)
Though Boyle and Sorkin have remained confident that their portrayal of Jobs’ life does not stray as far from the truth as has been suggested, that has not prevented the backlash surrounding its release. It has even been reported that his widow Laurene Jobs attempted to legally prevent the film from being made, though his daughter Lisa Brennan-Jobs – who the Apple co-founder denied he was the father of multiple times, outright refusing to believe the paternity tests that had been taken and only paying her $500 per month in child maintenance after he became a millionaire – gave the movie the go-ahead.
Steve Jobs has attracted a positive critical response in the US where it debuted, though it will not appear in UK cinemas until November 13th.
