BlackBerry – A Sensational Indie Dramedy (Early Review)

When it comes to tense and anxiety-inducing tech-inspired biopics, the gold standard is of course The Social Network. However, less audiences may be aware of the story behind the rise and fall of Research in Motion (now BlackBerry Limited), the company commonly associated with the first smartphone called the BlackBerry which was first introduced in the late 1990s. The device revolutionized the way we communicate and connect with the world around us. Always innovating on their original design, the company grabbed a foothold on the market and held on for the decade that followed but with any monumental rise often comes a near equally monumental fall. The rise and fall trope is a staple of biopics. That being said, what makes the aptly-named BlackBerry ultimately stand out is the energy and flare injected throughout this Canadian indie dramedy. An authentic time capsule of the late 1990s and early 2000s (and one that will surely resonate more with Canadian audiences), this adds yet another dimension to this part underdog story and part look at the cutthroat world of business over the course of that time. Lifted by strong writing and performances, it is a film worthy of a place next to the aforementioned Social Network.

BlackBerry, as mentioned, is a rise and fall story but before any fall, comes a rise and that rise rose out of an underdog story of Mike Lazaridis (Baruchel) and his business partner and best friend Douglas Fregin (Johnson), a pair of engineers who founded Research in Motion. Struggling to get off the ground and find their big break, they finally had one with the world’s first smartphone. Unfortunately, they lacked the money, experience, or knowhow to produce and market their invention to a potential worldwide audience. Cue Jim Balsillie (Howerton), a savy, driven, and ethically-flexible businessman who saw the potential in their idea and agreed to join the team, bringing them what they needed to take their invention to the next level. Little did they know, success came virtually overnight as their smartphone changed the game. As Research in Motion continued to find success and the company’s value continued to rise, the pressure on Mike and Jim to keep it going grew just as quickly as their motivations were not quite aligned. That pressure led to some questionable decision making on the part of certain characters or perhaps some were who they were the whole time. Though the arcs of the characters may have treaded some familiar ground, the writing kept them compelling to watch by giving them some depth and complexity while they were tested by their circumstances.

Coming from humble beginnings, Mike, Doug, and the rest of the Research in Motion team worked from a lesser position to change the world as they worked hard to support their fellow employees and keep the company afloat. While they worked hard, they also played hard but as the company found success, the mood changed as the situation became more serious. A departure from where RIM started, that original dynamic slowly eroded under the weight of the pressures of the business world. Focused on the technical side of the company, Mike left the business side to Jim. As he ran the business side, it was clear that his motivations laid beyond that of the company. He had an ego and had something to prove to those he felt slighted him. Jim did not want to be known as a failure and that compulsion often got the best of him. At the end of the day, his behavior was inevitably going to catch up with him and the company and threatened to bring it all down. However, Jim was not the only one with a threatening compulsion. Meanwhile, that perfect collision of internal and external forces made for some tension as audiences are essentially forced to watch as RIM crumble following the announcement of the original iPhone.

BlackBerry has plenty of style going for it. It’s sharp and moves at a fast pace as the story covers a wide period of time without feeling overwhelming. While the story follows the pitfalls of new technology, it’s really about the human side of things. Grounding the story was the trio of Baruchel, Howerton, and Johnson. Baruchel shined as Mike Lazaridis, a shy and introverted nerd who came out of his shell as his principles found themselves challenged by the pressure of his quick success. Howerton was unrecognizable as Jim Balsillie, showing a fair share of range and rage as a sketchy businessman whose ego led to his undoing. Johnson was the humanity or conscience of the film as Douglas Fregin, a sidekick who went above and beyond by stealing scenes, straddling the line between comedy and drama.

BlackBerry is a sensational indie dramedy and a strongly-made biopic sitting firmly amongst the best films of the year so far.

still courtesy of Elevation Pictures

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.