It's a Canadian comedy-drama techno-history set from 1996 to 2008 in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. It is a fictional story inspired by the rise and fall of Research in Motion (RIM), the company that created Blackberry, the initial smartphone.
The film first introduces us to Jim Balsillie (Glenn Howerton) as a profane hard-driving executive at Sutherland-Schultz who meets Mike Lazaridis (Jay Baruchel) and Douglas Fregin (Matt Johnson), two awkward techies trying to sell a new product called a smartphone. Lazaridis is the CEO of a startup that employs stereotyped engineers who easily mix work and play.
After a deal in the U. S. for their modem falls through, and Sutherland-Schultz fires Jim Balsillie for insubordination, Balsillie remembers RIM's project and offers to provide administrative and sales leadership for a piece of the company and serve as co-CEO. They make a deal. "Blackberry" then follows the crises and inspirations that see the Blackberry become wildly successful through Balsillie's salesmanship and Lazaridis's engineering genius. The sudden fall of RIM happens when Apple invades the market, Balsillie gets distracted by efforts to buy an NHL team, and RIM's hiring practices come under legal scrutiny.
"Blackberry" has the feel of a low-budget arthouse film. It's funny until it's not. Balsillie and Lazaridis agree early on not to lie to each other. Their relationship works great while Balsillie brazens his way to tremendous success and Lazaridis gains more polish. Unfortunately, the company collapses when the lying and avoidance begin, and Lazaridis's commitment to perfection ebbs as competition mounts. Of course, since "Blackberry" is fictional, it's hard to say how many personal characterizations in the film are accurate, though the story's arc follows historical events. People in Kitchener-Waterloo will be fascinated by the story but will note that it omits the generosity of both the Lazaridis and Balsillie families to the local community.
Howerton and Baruchel are excellent in their roles; Johnson seems a stereotype. The evil American entrepreneurs also seem a bit stereotyped.
The film first introduces us to Jim Balsillie (Glenn Howerton) as a profane hard-driving executive at Sutherland-Schultz who meets Mike Lazaridis (Jay Baruchel) and Douglas Fregin (Matt Johnson), two awkward techies trying to sell a new product called a smartphone. Lazaridis is the CEO of a startup that employs stereotyped engineers who easily mix work and play.
After a deal in the U. S. for their modem falls through, and Sutherland-Schultz fires Jim Balsillie for insubordination, Balsillie remembers RIM's project and offers to provide administrative and sales leadership for a piece of the company and serve as co-CEO. They make a deal. "Blackberry" then follows the crises and inspirations that see the Blackberry become wildly successful through Balsillie's salesmanship and Lazaridis's engineering genius. The sudden fall of RIM happens when Apple invades the market, Balsillie gets distracted by efforts to buy an NHL team, and RIM's hiring practices come under legal scrutiny.
"Blackberry" has the feel of a low-budget arthouse film. It's funny until it's not. Balsillie and Lazaridis agree early on not to lie to each other. Their relationship works great while Balsillie brazens his way to tremendous success and Lazaridis gains more polish. Unfortunately, the company collapses when the lying and avoidance begin, and Lazaridis's commitment to perfection ebbs as competition mounts. Of course, since "Blackberry" is fictional, it's hard to say how many personal characterizations in the film are accurate, though the story's arc follows historical events. People in Kitchener-Waterloo will be fascinated by the story but will note that it omits the generosity of both the Lazaridis and Balsillie families to the local community.
Howerton and Baruchel are excellent in their roles; Johnson seems a stereotype. The evil American entrepreneurs also seem a bit stereotyped.