Blackberry Review – A Deep Dive Dramady into Smart Phones Origins

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Category: Indies, Docs, Foreign Film

Published on Thursday, 22 February 2024 18:35

Written by Janet Walker

Blackberry, from IFC Films, presents an entertaining and compelling dramatic comedy around the rise of the first smartphone, and how two techies met the MBA who would drive their company from dizzying heights to disastrous ruin.

The film begins in the small town of Waterloo, Ontario Canada, in a small upstairs tech company, two guys, who embody the classic tech nerd, Mike, the wizard of the pair, played by Jay Baruchel, and Doug, his Star Wars influenced cohort, played by Matt Johnson, are reviewing their pitch. Today they are seeking funding for what they call the pocket link, the prototype of the first Blackberry.

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The executive, Jim Balsillie, played by Glenn Howerton, is very close to securing a promotion to run the division, all he needs to do is allow someone that he clearly believes is a lesser, have one minute of a presentation, if they get the account, the division is his, along with all the perks that go along with it. Jim, however, is too controlling and pretentious, to share the spotlight. He circumvents his colleague and presents his pitch. His betrayal resulted in his termination.

After he is terminated, he takes Mike and Doug out to lunch and pitches his plan for the company's success. Mike explains they have a $15M contract, and Jim explains they're not going to pay. Doug, who was also believing in the payment of the fax machines, shuts the entire conversation down. They leave the lunch and return to the office, call the company who explain the machines were defective and they aren't going to pay.

What we are finding out is that everyone wants Mike's pocket link. It is the first smart phone on the market, and will revolutionize communications, and he is a no-funded nerd, with a bullpen of smart, tech savvy, like-minded nerds, with no ability to enforce or collect the outstanding balance.

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Mike and Doug realize the only lifeline they have is Balsillie, so they call him, pitch him and without saying another word he agrees. They don't realize the Balsillie is the pit bull they need to compete in the burgeoning tech industry, which is on the verge of a revolution.

In 48 hours after Balsillie arrives they are on a flight to Manhattan to meet with Verizon chief John Woodman, played by Saul Rubinek. As they arrive, Mike realizes he left the prototype in the taxi, and Balsillie is left to pitch to Woodman, who explains the availability of the internet doesn't allow for the idea.

Mike returns with the prototype and while Balsillie believes the meeting is over, and he just mortgaged his house on this opportunity, Mike steps in and explains to Woodman, why their idea is wrong and how he managed to harness the free signals that transfer communications. When he asks what the pocket link is called, Balsillie looks at the blackberry stain on Mike's shirt and says, "Blackberry."

By the end of the meeting Verizon was on board with RIM, Research in Motion and Blackberry becomes the first smart phone.

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This sets up the second act and suddenly, the dream becomes a reality, and with it the pressure of remaining number one in the world of tech communication. With that the film moves into the strategy of winning, and the troubles that even the small bits of data caused, which leads Balsillie to edge close and finally cross the line to find techies who can shrink the data, suddenly Blackberry has another 500,000 back orders, and Steve Jobs has just introduced the first touch screen cellphone, and the race is on.

I thoroughly enjoyed this film on so many levels. The recent history of the Blackberry, and of course how two underdogs built this industry, and even as RIM is defunct, the idea of a smart phone, a handheld, belongs to this one tech nerd with a revolutionizing vision. And of course, the performances are brilliant, and authenticate, as the cast truly embody each phase of their characters, who evolve throughout the film.

Blackberry has earned 27 nominations, including Best Film from Berlin International Film Festival, and Best Supporting Actor for Glenn Howerton from Film Independent Spirit Awards. Blackberry has earned 12 wins.

Blackberry is a must see. It is available on video on demand or other streaming platforms. See it.

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Country: U.S.

Language: English.

Runtime: 120 minutes.

Director: Matt Johnson.

Producer: Fraser Ash, Niv Fichman, Kevin Krikst, Matthew Miller.

Writer: Matt Johnson, Matthew Miller.

Cast: Jay Baruchel, Glenn Howerton, Matthew Johnson, Michael Ironside, SungWon Cho, Cary Elwes, Martin Donovan, Ben Petrie, Laura Cilevitz, Saul Rubinek, Rich Sommer.