Before the iPhone was launched and irreversibly changed technology and society for ever, there was another smartphone that looked as though it would be permanently glued to people’s hands.
At its peak, there were 85 million BlackBerry subscribers around the world, and the company controlled 45 per cent of the handheld phone market.
Steve Jobs and Apple brought BlackBerry’s domination to a swift and absolute end. But, as Matt Johnson’s dark comedy biopic BlackBerry makes clear, those who ran BlackBerry were equally responsible for the company’s downfall.
Warning: this review contains spoilers
BlackBerry opens in 1996, when geeky inventors Mike Lazaridis (Jay Baruchel) and Douglas Fregin (Matt Johnson) have a meeting with ruthless business executive Jim Balsillie (Glenn Howerton) about their new creation — a machine that’s both a cell phone and can send emails. Unfortunately for Mike and Douglas, they’re so nervous, clumsy, and out of their depth that their pitch goes terribly.
However, there’s no denying that their idea isn’t just great, but could change the face of the world. When Jim is fired later that day, he approaches Mike and Douglas with an offer that will lead him take charge of the business side of the company.
Douglas is dead set against his involvement. But, after a brief deliberation, Mike ultimately agrees, and the three of them soon go on to create a device that explodes in popularity.
However, to keep BlackBerry at the top of the industry, Jim enters into various shady business dealings that ultimately come back to haunt him and the company, especially once the iPhone is released.
BlackBerry manages to tell this intriguing and tragic story of greed vs creativity in a thoroughly gripping manner. It’s helped by a pair of fine performances from the two actors who represent both sides of this spectrum.
This doesn’t actually include Baruchel, though. There’s nothing wrong with his turn as the reticent and reserved Lazaridis. In fact, his low-key portrayal is exactly what the film requires, as the character finds himself torn between staying true to his artistic vision and making as much money as possible.
Instead, it’s Howerton and Johnson who play the most bombastic and attention-grabbing characters, and it’s their dynamic and conflict that makes BlackBerry so captivating to watch.
BLACKBERRY
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Howerton is a revelation as Balsillie. Anyone who has seen his cunning and aggressive performances as Dennis Reynolds during 16 seasons of It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia will know just how intimidating and manipulative he can be on-screen. While Balsillie is less psychotic than Reynolds, he’s just as ruthless. The decision to make Howerton bald for the role enhances his performance rather than distracts, too, and helps him to bring a Wolf of Wall Street-style energy to the film.
Johnson, who also co-wrote the film with Matthew Miller, is hugely impressive as Douglas Fregin. While Balsillie is all about business and crushing his competitors, Fregin’s main focus is on maintaining team morale. To do this, Fregin insists on there being a movie night every week, no matter how busy work is, while he also repeatedly makes pop culture references and plays silly games with the rest of the team to make sure they’re happy.
But while that might make you believe that Balsillie is the villain of the film and Fregin is the hero, BlackBerry is all the more riveting because of how complex its characters are. So much so that you end up both loving and hating each of the characters in equal measure.
Sure, there are times when Balsillie's actions are deplorable, but he’s so successful and ambitious that you can’t help but be impressed. Meanwhile, Fregin’s naivety and insistence on being the nice guy becomes increasingly frustrating as BlackBerry becomes so huge.
Behind the camera, Johnson and Miller’s script is smartly crafted to make the film as entertaining and informative as possible, while Johnson’s direction is exemplary. BlackBerry will inevitably be compared with the likes of The Social Network and Steve Jobs, but his direction is much more documentary-like.
Johnson wants the audience to feel as if they are in the room with all of the characters as they make their monumental decisions. Thanks to the authentic performances and free-flowing script, you do, especially because the characters are so flawed and well rounded.
BlackBerry might not quite land its ambitious and prolonged ending, but despite its dialogue-heavy script about the mundane aspects of technology, viewers are always aware of exactly what’s happening. Which, as the story and the characters get more desperate and tragic, actually makes BlackBerry all the more poignant, even as it builds to its inevitable conclusion.
Blackberry is out now in UAE cinemas
THE BIO
Favourite holiday destination: Whenever I have any free time I always go back to see my family in Caltra, Galway, it’s the only place I can properly relax.
Favourite film: The Way, starring Martin Sheen. It’s about the Camino de Santiago walk from France to Spain.
Personal motto: If something’s meant for you it won’t pass you by.
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
South Africa World Cup squad
South Africa: Faf du Plessis (c), Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock (w), JP Duminy, Imran Tahir, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Dale Steyn, Rassie van der Dussen.
Company%20profile
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
The five pillars of Islam
BAD%20BOYS%3A%20RIDE%20OR%20DIE
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Most%20polluted%20cities%20in%20the%20Middle%20East
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MOST%20POLLUTED%20COUNTRIES%20IN%20THE%20WORLD
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BRAZIL%20SQUAD
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Dr Amal Khalid Alias revealed a recent case of a woman with daughters, who specifically wanted a boy.
A semen analysis of the father showed abnormal sperm so the couple required IVF.
Out of 21 eggs collected, six were unused leaving 15 suitable for IVF.
A specific procedure was used, called intracytoplasmic sperm injection where a single sperm cell is inserted into the egg.
On day three of the process, 14 embryos were biopsied for gender selection.
The next day, a pre-implantation genetic report revealed four normal male embryos, three female and seven abnormal samples.
Day five of the treatment saw two male embryos transferred to the patient.
The woman recorded a positive pregnancy test two weeks later.
ACL Elite (West) - fixtures
Monday, Sept 30
Al Sadd v Esteghlal (8pm)
Persepolis v Pakhtakor (8pm)
Al Wasl v Al Ahli (8pm)
Al Nassr v Al Rayyan (10pm)
Tuesday, Oct 1
Al Hilal v Al Shorta (10pm)
Al Gharafa v Al Ain (10pm)
STAR%20WARS%20JEDI%3A%20SURVIVOR
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The%20specs
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My Country: A Syrian Memoir
Kassem Eid, Bloomsbury
Race card
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,600m
5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m
6pm: Arabian Triple Crown Round-1 Listed (PA) Dh230,000 (T) 1,600m
6.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,400m
7pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 (T) 2,400m
BLACKBERRY
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