Honestly, it’s been over a decade since the movie about steve jobs with ashton kutcher—officially titled jOBS—hit theaters, and the internet still hasn't quite decided if it’s a cult classic or a total swing and a miss.
When it dropped in 2013, the stakes were sky-high. Steve Jobs had only been gone for two years. The world was still mourning the guy who basically put a computer in everyone's pocket, and then suddenly, the "That '70s Show" guy is wearing the New Balance sneakers and the black turtleneck. People were skeptical. Like, really skeptical.
But if you actually sit down and watch it today, away from the 2013 hype cycle, the movie is a lot weirder and more interesting than the critics gave it credit for. It’s not just a "Wikipedia page come to life," though it definitely struggles with that at times. It’s a movie that tried to capture the "jerk-to-genius" pipeline, and in doing so, it created some of the most bizarre behind-the-scenes stories in recent Hollywood history.
The Method Acting That Actually Sent Kutcher to the Hospital
You’ve probably heard the rumors, but they aren't just PR stunts. Ashton Kutcher went full method for this. He didn't just study the walk—which, by the way, he absolutely nailed with that lanky, hunched-over stride—he decided to eat like Steve Jobs too.
Jobs was famous for his "fruitarian" diets. He’d go weeks eating nothing but apples or carrots. Kutcher, trying to get into the zone, adopted the same regimen. He lived on a strict diet of fruits, nuts, and seeds.
It backfired. Hard.
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Two days before they were supposed to start filming, Kutcher ended up in the hospital. His pancreas levels were completely out of whack. It’s kinda terrifying when you realize Jobs actually died of pancreatic cancer. Kutcher later admitted he was "doubled over in pain" and the experience was "really terrifying." It’s one of those Hollywood stories that makes you wonder where the line is between dedication and just being reckless for a role.
Where jOBS Gets the History Wrong (According to Woz)
If you want to know how accurate a movie is, you ask the guy who was actually there. Steve Wozniak, the man who actually built the Apple I and II, hasn't been shy about his feelings on the movie about steve jobs with ashton kutcher.
Woz’s main beef? The movie makes it look like Jobs was a tech visionary from day one, while Woz was just a hobbyist tagging along.
In reality, Wozniak says the early days were much more collaborative. He famously critiqued a scene where Jobs gives a big, inspiring speech about "social revolution" to a bunch of hobbyists. According to Woz, that never happened. "Steve was never like that," Wozniak told various tech sites after the release. "He was more about making a buck and finding a way to sell what I had already built."
Here are a few specific things the movie fudged for "dramatic effect":
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- The Garage: While they actually filmed in the real Jobs family garage in Los Altos (which is super cool), the timeline of who was there and what was said is heavily condensed.
- The Woz Departure: The movie depicts Wozniak leaving Apple because he's disillusioned with Jobs’ personality. In real life, Woz left because he just wanted to be an engineer and do his own thing, not because of a dramatic falling out over the Macintosh.
- The Boardroom Drama: The film frames John Sculley (played by Matthew Modine) as the primary villain who kicked Jobs out. It’s a bit more complicated than that. Apple was losing money, and Jobs’ management style at the time was, let’s be real, a bit of a disaster.
The "Look" vs. The "Soul" of the Performance
Kutcher looks more like 1970s Steve Jobs than Steve Jobs did. It’s uncanny. When those first side-by-side photos leaked from the set, everyone’s jaw dropped. The hair, the beard, the way he tucked his shirt into his high-waisted jeans—it was perfect.
But critics at the time felt the performance was "skin-deep."
There’s a scene where Jobs finds out his girlfriend is pregnant and he just... snaps. He kicks her out, denies the kid is his, and starts obsessing over circuit boards. It’s a brutal look at his character. The movie doesn't shy away from the fact that Jobs could be a genuinely mean person.
However, it fails to explain the transition. How did the guy who got kicked out of his own company in 1985 turn into the legendary CEO who saved it in 1997? The movie basically skips the NeXT years and the Pixar era, which is where most historians say Jobs actually "grew up." By jumping from the failure of the Lisa to the launch of the iPod in 2001, the movie misses the most important part of the story: the evolution.
Why You Should Still Watch It (Despite the 27% Rotten Tomatoes Score)
Look, jOBS isn't The Social Network. It doesn't have the snappy Aaron Sorkin dialogue (that came later in the 2015 movie starring Michael Fassbender). But for Apple nerds, there’s a lot to love here.
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First off, the cinematography is genuinely beautiful. They shot on 35mm film, which gives it this warm, nostalgic glow that fits the 70s and 80s perfectly.
Second, Josh Gad is actually great as Steve Wozniak. He brings a lot of heart to a movie that is otherwise filled with people yelling at each other about RAM and fonts.
Third, the soundtrack is surprisingly solid. It captures that "Silicon Valley in the garage" vibe with a mix of folk and psych-rock that makes you feel like you’re actually there in the Homebrew Computer Club.
Actionable Takeaways: How to Watch and Learn
If you’re going to revisit the movie about steve jobs with ashton kutcher, don't go in expecting a documentary. Treat it like a "greatest hits" reel with a really high-quality impersonator.
- Watch for the aesthetics: Pay attention to the office spaces and the early computer prototypes. The production design team did an incredible job recreating the look of early Apple.
- Read "Becoming Steve Jobs" afterward: If you want the real story of the years the movie skipped, the book Becoming Steve Jobs by Brent Schlender and Rick Tetzeli is widely considered the most accurate account of his growth as a leader.
- Compare it to the 2015 version: Watch the Ashton Kutcher movie, then watch the Michael Fassbender one. They are polar opposites. Kutcher’s is a traditional biopic; Fassbender’s is a three-act play. Seeing both gives you a much better "3D" view of who Jobs was.
Ultimately, the movie is a time capsule. It’s a reminder of a moment when we were all obsessed with finding the "next Steve Jobs." While Kutcher might not have won an Oscar for it, he definitely proved that he was more than just a sitcom actor. He cared about the legacy, even if the script didn't always live up to the man.
To get the most out of your "Apple History" binge, start with the 1999 TV movie Pirates of Silicon Valley. It covers the rivalry between Jobs and Bill Gates and is arguably more fun than any of the big-budget biopics. After that, hit the Kutcher film for the visuals, and finish with the Fassbender version for the raw, emotional drama.
Next Steps:
Go watch the 2001 iPod launch scene in the movie and then find the actual footage on YouTube. It's fascinating to see how closely Kutcher mimicked Jobs' specific hand gestures and vocal cadences during the "1,000 songs in your pocket" reveal.