The story behind the meteoric rise – and brutal fall – of Canadian company Research in Motion (RIM) is told with impressive effectiveness blackberryan amazing satirical comedy starring Jay Baruchel in top form.
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Written and directed by Canadian filmmaker Matt Johnson, the film takes us to the mid-1990s city of Waterloo, Ontario.
There, Mike Lazaridis (Jay Baruchel) and Douglas Fregin (Matt Johnson), two talented young computer engineers, developed a mobile phone that could change the world of telecommunications forever. It’s a revolutionary device that combines the functions of a mobile phone and a small pocket computer… in short, the first real smartphone!
Mike and Douglas feel they lack the business acumen to promote their invention themselves and decide to offer the presidency of RIM to Jim Balsillie (Glenn Howerton), a businessman about to lose his job.
A true financial shark, Jim will quickly win deals with major telecom companies. But we’re quick to suspect his over-ambition will eventually ruin the company.
The first BlackBerry device will be launched in 1999 and it will be an instant success. But since Apple launched its first iPhone in 2007, the Canadian company’s market share has continued to decline.
Direct cinema
The fate of BlackBerry is deeply tragic. However, actor-director Matt Johnson chose to tell this true story with tasty humor and frankly infectious energy. In particular, he had the good idea of shooting his film like a mockumentary, preferring a direct cinematic approach that is sometimes reminiscent of the cult series “The Office”.
His film is also based on a dynamic performance from Montreal native Jay Baruchel, who underwent minor physical modifications for the role, and an explosive soundtrack composed of hits from the 1990s and 2000s, including hits from The White Stripes, The Strokes and Elastica.
Witnessing the abrupt – but inevitable – crash of this former Canadian telecommunications flagship is like watching a race car speeding 150 mph straight into a wall. The result is fascinating and downright captivating.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5