The Other Side of Steve Jobs — Alex Gibney’s Documentary Every Founder Should Watch Once
- by: Kush Prajapati
Apple is valued at over $3.5 trillion. The iPhone remains the most profitable product line in tech history. Over a decade after his death, Steve Jobs is still one of the most cited names in founder circles. But are we learning the right lessons from his story?
What This Watch Is
Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine is a feature documentary by Oscar-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney. It’s available on Prime Video and may require a paid subscription to view.
This isn’t a tribute. It’s a raw, reflective film that pulls apart the public myth and examines the human cost behind the success.
Why It Matters Now
In 2025, we’re witnessing a new generation of “visionary” founders in AI, hardware, and biotech. Multi-billion-dollar rounds, sleek product reveals, and intense founder cults are back. Jobs is often held up as the blueprint. But what if parts of that blueprint are flawed?
This documentary doesn’t deny his brilliance. It invites us to look closer at what else came with it—control, exclusion, and a tendency to justify anything in the name of the product. That context is crucial for today’s founders leading fast-scaling teams and building cultural influence.
Key Takeaways or Insights
- Jobs’ “reality distortion field” was powerful, but not always ethical. He pushed people hard, often to the edge.
- His refusal to acknowledge his daughter Lisa for years is one of several moments where personal values clashed with public image.
- The film explores why so many mourned him deeply—pointing to the emotional grip of brand storytelling and founder myth-making.
- It challenges the idea that success justifies everything, and asks a tough but essential question: what are you willing to sacrifice to build something iconic?
Why I’m Recommending It
This film hit harder than expected. It doesn’t cancel Jobs—it humanizes him. And that’s the part we often skip when quoting his keynote speeches or obsessing over design purity.
It made me rethink how founders lead, how teams function under pressure, and how culture often mirrors its most powerful person.
If you’ve ever looked up to Steve Jobs as a product genius, this documentary is your chance to study the whole story.
