BlackBerry revisits a different world. Cell phones existed, but were not yet a part of everyday life. The iPhone was years away, Android was even further, and touch screens were not a part of the conversation. In Waterloo, Canada, a small software company developed a phone that could be used to make calls, send messages and emails, and browse the internet. In the space of two decades, their invention would change the world before falling into irrelevancy.
While it is not a mockumentary or faux-documentary, the film has a cinema-verite look that places audiences in the moment. Shots zoom erratically in and out and seemed to be peeking in on the lives of everyone involved. This adds to the chaos, urgency, and excitement of BlackBerry.
Despite its title, this is not about the phone that was so addictive it was called “Crackberry”. The phone is the driving motivation behind everything that happens in BlackBerry, but this is very much a movie about the people involved. It is surprising what things are glossed over – the phone’s name changes literally from one scene to the next, for example – yet these minor flaws are overshadowed by the great characters.
Glenn Howerton (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) steals just about every scene he is in as the ambitious John Balsille. Complete with bald cap and loud obnoxious behavior, the trailer will lead some to believe it is gimmick casting. Howerton dismisses this notion immediately by presenting a person who is constantly overreaching, for better and worse.
Balsille becomes less nuanced as BlackBerry progresses. At first, he is a man who was willing to take huge risks and presents an almost fatherly image while also lording over and looking down on everyone around him. Before long, he treats the company that made him rich as an afterthought. It is surprising just how single-minded Balsille becomes.
In a nice bit of writing, company founder Mike Lazardis (Jay Baruchel, This is the End) goes through a similar change. His story is different, however. Early on, he is meek and wants to deliver the best product possible. He soon alienates his closest friend and becomes a victim of his own success. Baruchel is excellent in a role that is tragic, but earns no sympathy.
It sounds like a normal devil’s advocate story, but with cell phones. BlackBerry defies the expectations with funny characters and engaging dialogue. The rise and fall of BlackBerry would also foreshadow how rapidly something could become such an integral part of the cultural landscape before fading into obscurity just as quickly.
BlackBerry opens in theaters May 12
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