Jobs (2013)

“Jobs” -– the biopic of Steve Jobs -– is not the dud everyone has proclaimed it to be. I say that in hindsight having watched the movie after it took a critical drubbing and box office dive. Ashton Kutcher plays the famed Apple founder from bum-ass college days until the intro of the iPod, the tiny device that turned the music industry on its head. That’s the hook: We open with the iPod and jump back to Jobs in college, then lead back up to the start. We see Jobs’ genius and his gift of knowing what people want, and, yes, his asshole tendencies. The film is at its best when we stick to Jobs’ desire to change the world with tech that can change how people do ... everything. Oddly, we never do see the birth of the iPod. Really. Just hints. That stings. Edited out? Why? More oddly, we skip over the Pixar years where Jobs learned to see the visions of others and build his family. Kutcher has the look and quirky walk -– oddly comical to tell the truth -– down. That’s good. But those dark Jobs’ moments, Kutcher falls short, too nice a guy? Passable. B