The latest from Canadian writer-director Matt Johnson tells the story of the meteoric rise and catastrophic demise of the world’s first smartphone. Adapted from Jacquie McNish and Sean Silcoff’s book Losing the Signal, BlackBerry is as funny as it is riveting.
In the late ’90s, Research In Motion was just a humble tech outfit selling modems in Waterloo, Ontario. Best friends and co-founders Mike Lazaridis (Jay Baruchel) — a soft-spoken tech whiz who’s the brains of the operation — and Douglas Fregin (Matt Johnson) — a headband-donning, nerve-grating goof — are trying to sell a product they call PocketLink, a never-before-seen combination of cellphone, email device, and pager. The telecom world isn’t impressed with Mike and Doug’s invention, but a domineering, foul-mouthed salesman named Jim Balsillie (Glenn Howerton) is. BlackBerry is a Canadian story told with tremendous national pride by Canadian talent. The three visionaries at the centre of this tale, despite their device’s ultimate descent into obsolescence, changed the way the world communicates today.
CANADA, 2023 | Director: Matt Johnson | Principal Cast: Jay Baruchel, Matt Johnson, Glenn Howerton | Language: English | 159 minutes | Content Advisory: Strong language