Her (2013) | Film Review

(Originally published on Letterboxd) - Theodore Twombly (Joaquin Phoenix) is lonely. Still emotionally scarred from the dissolution of his marriage, he hides from his pain in his work, video games, and the occasional attempt at phone sex. When he's not actively hiding from himself, he's busy distracting himself with melancholy songs and sleazy pictures of pregnant reality tv stars. All of that changes when he buys the latest OS (operating system) for his home network. Billed as the first OS to use cutting edge artificial intelligence technology, it doesn't take long for Theodore's life to take an unusual turn.

Her is an understated near future film, filled with technology that feels imminent, and performances that feel natural. Joaquin's Theodore is a sad romantic, struggling to deal with his emotions, and the fear of forever feeling numb. Scarlett Johansson's voice work as Samantha, Theodore's OS, is nothing short of stellar. Her ability to make us believe that Samantha is real, and in the eventual relationship she shares with Theodore, is some of the best acting work between two people you're likely to ever see. It should come across forced and hokey, but it doesn't. This is even more amazing when you consider they were likely never even talking to one another during filming.

The coolest aspects of Her is the world that Spike Jonze has created around his characters. It's a place filled with vibrant colors, and technology that is so effortlessly interwoven into the lives of its users, it somehow makes the real future feel less scary. While real people are carrying on real relationships with programs, they never feel unnatural, and never seem to come at the expense of real interactions with other people.

While Her may be a tad too long, the message is a sweet and positive one, which is nice considering all of the cynical cinematic fair that has been coming out lately. After you stain your soul with a three hour tour through The Wolf of Wall Street, you can come back to reality with a thorough cleansing courtesy of Her.