BlackBerry

Based on true events, BlackBerry details the rise and fall of the title device as seen through the eyes of Jay Baruchel’s Mike Lazaridis, Glenn Howerton’s Jim Balsillie, and Matt Johnson’s Douglas Fregin. Filmmaker Johnson, armed with his and Matthew Miller’s screenplay, delivers a fairly typical biopic that admittedly does remain a cut above its similarly-themed brethren, as the movie progresses through a briskly-paced narrative that’s been augmented with a whole host of appealing elements and attributes – including several unexpectedly riveting sequences and a series of top-notch, captivating performances. (Howerton’s frequently spellbinding turn does, in terms of the latter, remain a clear and ongoing highlight within the proceedings.) And although the picture’s midsection is perhaps not quite as compelling as Johnson has undoubtedly intended, with the emphasis on the heroes’ efforts at preventing a hostile takeover unable to pack the punch of the let’s-get-this-product-off-the-ground opening stretch, BlackBerry‘s engaging, downfall-focused second half, by-the-numbers as it may be, buoys the viewer’s dwindling interest and ultimately cements the film’s place as a slightly erratic yet mostly satisfying piece of work.

*** out of ****