Aaron Sorkin, the screenwriter for the upcoming Steve Jobs movie, didn’t hold back his feelings about Tim Cook’s recent comments. Sorkin said that Cook has “a lot of nerve” calling his film “opportunistic,” which seems to imply that the filmmakers are capitalizing on Steve Jobs’ death. Sorkin threw additional shots too.
“Nobody did this movie to get rich,” Sorkin commented. “Secondly, Tim Cook should really see the movie before he decides what it is.”
The screenwriter for the film told The Hollywood Reporter exactly how he felt during a press junket in London and even brought up some ethical issues on Apple’s part.
“Third, if you’ve got a factory full of children in China assembling phones for 17 cents an hour you’ve got a lot of nerve calling someone else opportunistic,” Sorkin added.
Ouch. That’s a pretty bold statement to make about the CEO of the wealthiest company in the world. Although being in that position, I’m sure Tim Cook has heard much worse.
Cook expressed his disapproval of the Steve Jobs film when he visited The Late Show with Stephen Colbert for a bit of chatter and iPhone 6s promotion. He said he hasn’t seen any of the movies about Steve Jobs thus far.
Steve Jobs is the second film to come out about the former Apple CEO and co-founder after his passing. Jobs made its debut in 2013 starring Ashton Kutcher, but Cook didn’t exactly have warm, fuzzy feelings for that film either. On the bright side, Woz is pretty impressed with the upcoming title, stating it’s a pretty accurate representation of Jobs.
Aaron Sorkin’s Steve Jobs debuts in theaters on October 23.
George Tinari has covered Apple and technology for over six years. On the rare occasion that he’s not sitting in front of his laptop, you can find him eating, awkwardly socializing, listening to music or singing along loudly to said music. You can also follow George on Twitter if you need more complaints and sarcasm in your timeline.
25 responses to “Aaron Sorkin to Tim Cook: ‘You’ve got a lot of nerve’”
I like Tim Cook a lot more then Sorkin
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“Nobody did this movie to get rich,” Sorkin commented.”
Every filmmaker hopes for three things, in varying order: to become famous, to make a difference in people’s lives, and to get rich. Since Sorkin is already very wealthy from his other endeavors, it’s very easy for him to make his lofty pronouncement. For me, at least, it lacks sincerity. After all, Sorkin’s rewards from “The Social Network” were huge, but he wasn’t quite so judgmental about Mark Zuckerberg.
Further, I’m quite sure Sorkin owns and uses a •lot• of electronics—including (and maybe especially) Apple devices—which are made in China by people who are being paid low wages and working in what Americans consider unfavorable working conditions. Instead of trying to impugn Tim Cook, perhaps Sorkin would like to ditch all of his toys and tools in order to cleanse his conscience.
We all live in glass houses. Neither filmmakers, nor corporate heads, nor politicians, nor •anyone• can afford to throw too many stones. (Naturally, politicians will keep on lobbing theirs.)
They also do it to get attention. he’s written screenplays for a few big hit movies and he’s just trying to use every trick in the book to sell tickets. If he can’t sell enough tickets as he did with his other movies, then he’s seen as a failure.
I don’t think the other movie about Jobs did all that well at the box office and Sorkin is probably nervous. I honestly don’t think people really are concerned about Jobs and his private life as they are with what was going on behind the scenes at Apple. But since they only dredge up older products, most people aren’t as concerned since there is enough information, interviews videos on YouTube and the internet.
I think it’s kind of chicken$hit to create movies about people to make money when it might impact the surviving members of the family if they don’t want to have their name and likeness exposed in that manner. Does Jobs’ wife and family members being exposed in this movie give Sorkin’s approval? I don’t know, no one seems to be asking them if they like how they are being portrayed in a movie.
If someone did a movie about my father, I don’t know if I would like it if they included me in the movie. How would you like it if someone in your family was a famous celebrity that passed away and someone made a movie about them and dragged you in it without your permission and approval. It’s like an invasion of privacy, especially if they are trying to portray it as factual. even if it was completely fictional, I don’t know if I would like it either. People treat you differently as a result and that’s not fair either.
I agree with Sorkin. Apple thinks it shit doesn’t stink. Tim cook does have nerve to talk about someone else being opportunistic. Just yesterday we read about Apple squeezing the camera lens maker. They take advantage at every turn.
Quite different, and personal, for Cook. Cook counts Steve as a good, close friend, not just a boss.
If someone made a movie about a friend of mine that had died recently and focused only on material that was dish-worthy, you can bet I’d be saying that and much worse about the filmmaker.
While Tim always speaks for Apple (he can’t not speak as a representative for Apple), I think Cook’s comments were personal, not professional.
Thoughtful response, CT, and well put!
Maybe that’s why Woz approves; as hes being dragged into it being portrayed as being a lot more charismatic and central to Apple’s success
It’s a fair point that Sorkin makes and I for one have taken the comment on board. I don’t feel great about using devices made by children paid appallingly low wages and I hope we fine a better way.
Use all the Apple products you want — NONE are made by children.
That it’s a fair point is not the issue. Sorkin called Cook out on wage and working conditions as a way of deflecting Cooks comments about Sorkin’s motives. Conflating the two things seems specious.
In any case, I imagine most of agree that “using devices made by children paid appallingly low wages” is not good. However, Apple does •not• employ children either here or in China, and the wages they pay may be appallingly low compared to American wages, but not compared to Chinese wages.
I’m not sure what you mean by “taking the comment on board.” You are apparently using a computer, smartphone or pad to share your thoughts, so I guess you’re not moved that much. Sadly, few of us would be. Personally, I believe Tim Cook is and will continue to be a big influence in finding “a better way.”
Nobody made this movie to get rich? No, to get richer.
What’s bad about it ?
Why do you go to work, guess it’s also for making a living !
What’s bad about it? It represents pretty much everything that is wrong with our society: not making a living, but getting richer and richer no matter the cost.
What society are you talking about, is it the US society, the society of western democratic countries or all the societies in the world ?
The film industry – like most other industries – is there to make money and sell movies and that’s not a bad thing. It’s up to the customer to watch the film in exchange for his money.
If you must know it was not so much about democratic society – although that’s broken too – as capitalism as a social system and how it’s working, particularly in America.
I wonder if Sorkin would want someone making a movie about him, his divorce, drug habits, arrests and dragged his ex-wife, children in it?
True, then put all the bad stuff in a movie trailer and loop it on national TV for a month.
If Apple are buying stuff from such factories, then APPLE can STOP BUYING FROM THEM. Simple. Apple has the power.
The thing is, Apple is NOT buying from such companies. Sorkin’s comments a over exaggerated. Not only that, but Apple has been working to improve working conditions far beyond Chinese regulations. Is it perfect? No, but there’s continuous improvement.
I am Chinese, and I can tell you, Sorkin knows nothing about China. It’s 21st century now and it is ultimately ridiculous that anyone would make such comments like ‘a factory full of children’ or ’17 cents per hour’. Only the most ignorant would believe such brainless accuse.
Back in 1980s, underage employees were indeed quite common. But after the Contract Law was enforced, it is illegal to hire teenagers under 16 in China. Of course there are employers that disobey the law, but these are individual cases. And in every case only one or two underage employees were found. The largest underage employee incident in recent years happened in 2013, while 10 thirteen to fourteen kids were found working among other 700 employees. And their payment is US$ 1.96 per hour.
Thank you for your reply and information, Richard. I know that Apple are very concerned about any social impacts of their business, and have stepped in on several occasions to improve conditions in factories supplying them. Your reply only confirms this.
In other countries, Apple has also shown social awareness and intent to improve conditions. Apple does have the power to rescind contracts, and uses it when needed.
Oh fuck Sorkin. The dude is a whore and has been for a long time… but he would know this if he stopped snorting all that damn coke.
The Man in the Machine is more what Tim Cook is referring to when he calls it mean-spirited. Sorkin has some nerve going after the most influential man in tech, possibly business.
Nice one Aaron. BTW, what about all those children in Peru that gather coca leaves used to produce all that coke you shove up your nose. Moron.