BlackBerry

Without knowing the history of Blackberry, outside its spectacular crash, I found this movie very entertaining and informative. It's not a documentary, so everything needs to be taken with the proverbial grain of salt. That being said, there were many parts of the Blackberry story, including Research in Motions technical innovations that predated the iPhone by almost a decade.

Jay Barucshel and Matthew Johnson were both wonderful in a corporate Ying-and-Yang relationship, though Johnson steals the show with his irreverence and comedy. Glenn Howerton was a bit disarming as corporate tough guy Jim Balsille. Together, the three drive the story from its lowest points to its dizzying heights.

Overall a fun entertaining picture, that may not be completely accurate, but for those who don't know the details, it won't detract from the story.

Between this, Air, and Tetris, I think this one takes the cake. The central performances (Jay Baruchel & Glenn Howerton) are fantastic, and both manage to captivate us with their distinct mannerisms and quirks. The story itself is very compellingly told, with details covered from multiple angles, including business, tech, marketing, employee relations, and more. There's no question that Hollywood loves discussing corporate wins and losses (well, mostly wins) and BlackBerry is certainly among the finest I've seen. Howerton (playing Jim Balsillie) is at his best when he loses his cool, throwing temper tantrums at almost everyone, including contemporaries, executives, and even private jet pilots. The rise and fall of BlackBerry was always going to be an exciting story, and director Matt Johnson does an excellent job with the material in hand.

BlackBerry is a 2023 film that tells the story of the rise and fall of the BlackBerry smartphone. The film is funny, heartwarming, and ultimately tragic.

The film is funny because it captures the quirks and eccentricities of the people who made BlackBerry a success. Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie are two brilliant but irritable men who are determined to make their company a success. They are constantly bickering and arguing.

The film is also heartwarming because it shows the passion and dedication of the people who worked at BlackBerry. They were all committed to making the best possible product, and they were willing to work long hours and make sacrifices to achieve their goals.

However, the film is ultimately tragic because it shows how BlackBerry was unable to adapt to the changing marketplace. The company was slow to innovate, and it was eventually overtaken by Apple and Samsung.

Despite its tragic ending, BlackBerry is a well-made film that is sure to entertain and enlighten audiences. The film is funny, heartwarming, and thought-provoking. It is a must-see for anyone who is interested in the history of technology or the human condition.

Doug is the real winner in BlackBerry because he is the only one who is able to see the writing on the wall. He knows that BlackBerry is in trouble, and he tries to warn Mike and Jim. However, they are too blinded by their own success to listen. Doug is eventually forced to leave the company, but he is able to start his own successful business.

BlackBerry is a cautionary tale about the dangers of hubris. It is a reminder that even the most successful companies can fall from grace if they are not willing to adapt to change.

The phone was nicknamed "Crackberry" - due to its addictive quality ... (an omen of the future of smartphones). Here, people loved the clicking of the mini keyboard and the blinking "new messages" light. It was the rage of Wall Street, Fortune 500 companies government leaders and had dedicated fans ranging from Obama to Katy Perry to Kim Kardashian.

It was with this fascination that I watched "Blackberry". I wanted to know how did all of this get started and by whom? Well, the movie didn't disappoint - I'd have never guessed the people behind it and wild ride they had.

The story is brisk and the characters have radically different personalities. The latter made it interesting given that they all thrown together in an increasingly high-pressure environment. My favorite character was the comic-sidekick Doug Fregin (cofounder) - he reminds me of Jonah Hill. It also turns out that he's the co-writer and director of the film itself.

One thing I didn't immediately recognize was that the tech wiz / boy-wonder (Mike Lazaridis) was played by Jay Baruchel. He was the voice behind the lead character in How to Train Your Dragon. It was perfect casting.

Blackberry is definitely worth a watch if the subject matter interests you. It's yet another movie demonstrating that real-life events can be just as captivating as pure fiction itself. It joins the ranks of other great tech stories inspired by true events: The Dropout (Theranos / Elizabeth Holmes), We Crashed (WeWork), Super Pumped (Uber), and Tetris (the game).

The rise and fall of Blackberry, the world's first smartphone, it's journey from initial conception, to funding, all the way through to its tragic collapse.

I thoroughly enjoyed this film, it's one I would suggest that has a universal appeal, one many will enjoy, fascinating to think this is where it all started, everything about our phones that we now take for granted.

What a fascinating story this is, I'm sure many of us had a blackberry back in the day, I certainly did, it was such a reliable device, it was a game changer, until iPhone that is.

It's an intriguing story, with several jaw dropping moments, including the way Jim made his initial impact, then went on and assembled such an incredible work force.

A few funny moments, and some very sad scenes too, sewing Mike desperately trying to put something together to compete with Apple was quite tragic, after doing all of the ground work, the tide literally turned overnight.

Glenn Howerton gives a show stealing performance as Jim, he's angry, he's short tempered, he wants things done yesterday, he's a high powered, highly motivated executive, dealing with a team who live life to the chill, what a strong performance, that scene where Jim realises that the game is up, fantastic.

The whole cast are excellent, Jay Baruchel and Matt Johnson were both great. Seeing Mike change over time, that was skilfully done.

I was surprised by how good this was.

8/10.