Her
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Taking place in the near future, “Her” is a love story between a man and his computer. All at once moving, yet uncomfortable to watch, Spike Jonze’s film is a satiric play on the modern day dependence on technology.
When lonely divorcee Theodore (Joaquin Pheonix) meets his new operating system, Samantha, he is immediately surprised at how compassionate and curious she is. The two make a connection and eventually enter a romantic relationship. Just like any two humans in love, Theodore and Samantha (voiced impeccably by Scarlett Johansson), attempt to overcome jealousy and their differences in order to make their relationship work.
The audience grapples with how realistic their relationship is, despite its inherent wrongness. A scene in which Theodore and Samantha go on a double date with two of his human friends is both bizarre and plausible because of how natural it all seems.
Things get even more otherworldly as Theodore discovers that more and more people are becoming involved with operating systems. Paired with stunning visuals and a beautifully tender score, Her immerses you in a world where this could actually happen.
The standout in “Her” is the writing — each scene is paired with thoughtful prose and reflections on the nature of love that leaves you feeling heartbroken. The film isn’t all gloomy though. “Her” finds humor in poking fun at our projected future — like Theodore’s silly, trash-talking video games or the concept of paying a company to write handwritten notes for your loved ones. At times the film feels too wordy, replacing action with lots of talk (considering Samantha doesn’t have a body, this makes sense).
Yet the film is able to produce scenes of genuine emotion, despite there being only one person on camera.
Viewers will be leaving the theatre just as confused as Theodore was, to be feeling so attached to a piece of machinery. This poignant and mesmerizing film captivates its audience by making a relationship between a man and his computer truly believable, while making viewers wary that this could be their own future.
— Natalie Carney
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