'BlackBerry (2023)' tells the (mostly) true story of the meteoric rise and inevitable fall of the world's first smart phone - you know, that phone people had before they got an iPhone. In many ways, it feels like a less successful 'Succession (2018-2023)', taking place over a number of years and diving into the various bits of dodgy business and marketplace management necessary to not only get such a radical idea off the ground, but also keep it floating comfortably in the sky. It really makes you realise just how fast things move; not long ago, the idea I'd be able to write this review on my phone and post it to the internet in a matter of seconds would be inconceivable. In many ways, the movie is a two-hander: Jay Baruchel plays the eponymous device's grey-haired inventor, and Glen Howerton plays its half-haired seller. The former is initially as meek as he is brilliant, but the business side of things eventually wears him down and his ego begins to get the better of him. The latter is aggressive, arrogant and unwilling to let rules get in the way of his potential success. They make a compelling duo precisely because they're so different, at least to begin with, and both actors deliver really solid performances. The feature is a lot more entertaining than you may expect from its relatively dry subject matter. Unlike some other recent 'brand origin' movies, this feels like a story that could have been told even if it wasn't based in reality. It's really enjoyable when it gets going, and it keeps you invested in the journey of its characters by constantly throwing new obstacles for them to overcome... or not. It moves at a good pace, too. It's just a really well-made biopic that rises above a lot of its peers, especially the corporate ones. In fact, and this is a major compliment, it doesn't really feel like a biopic at all (even though it has a a text ending). It's just a really good movie that happens to be about a real-life mobile phone.
Review of BlackBerry
