Style: Biographical Dramedy
Director: Matt Johnson
Starring: Jay Baruchel, Glenn Howerton, Matt Johnson
Working Time: 121 minutes
Synopsis: It is 1996 in Waterloo, Ontario, and Mike Lazaridis and Doug Fregin (Jay Baruchel and director Matt Johnson) are the scrappy co-founders of ramshackle modem firm Analysis In Movement (RIM). Mike is a superb electronics inventor with an concept to mix the pager, cellphone, and e-mail right into a single hand-held system, and Doug is the energetic worker booster, however they’re each hapless at enterprise. After some hesitation, they carry in Jim Balsillie (Glenn Howerton) as co-CEO. He’s formidable, cut-throat, and will get issues finished. Mike’s innovation and Jim’s drive make the Blackberry the must-have enterprise system of the mid 2000s, however RIM’s runaway success is quickly threatened.
What Works Properly: With a mix of human drama and madcap comedy, this enterprise story tracks the rise and fall of an iconic system via themes of tradition conflict (sharp enterprise fits and BMWs versus geekery), fake-it-until-you-make-it (the ability of a prop), lack of focus (the pursuit of an NHL franchise), and hubris (failure to understand the iPhone’s risk). As director, Matt Johnson retains the drama galloping throughout a decade of occasions, all the time with a watch for the small however telling element, most poignantly Mike’s aversion to digital merchandise assembled in China. And as an actor alongside Jay Baruchel and Glenn Howerton, Johnson completes a memorably contrasting trio of sharply-drawn characters.
What Does Not Work As Properly: Outdoors of labor and Jim’s obsession with hockey, not one of the three males seem to have a personal life, companions, or pursuits.
Key Quote:
Jim: Mike, are you accustomed to the saying “Excellent is the enemy of excellent?”
Mike: Properly, “Good Sufficient” is the enemy of humanity.
All Ace Black Film Weblog evaluations are right here.