her…3.8***

 

         “Her” is a fascinating though somewhat traditional  love story. What makes it fascinating is that the romance is between a man named Theodore ( Joaquin Phoenix) and his computer Operating System ( OS) named Samantha ( the voicing for Samantha is by Scarlett Johansson). What makes it somewhat traditional is that the different phases  relationship are familiar and understandable .. we can identify with them and their feelings.  The premise of the story may sound bizarre on paper, but in execution “Her” is far more sweet than creepy. The film radiates warmth and intelligence, and there is a fair amount of witty humor to ensure that it never becomes too self-serious. It has an engaging style and there's a certain poetic yet whimsical quality to the dialogue .

 

 The timeframe is the not too distant future.  Theodore is at the end of a painful divorce. He has a few friends but is lonely and looking for a meaningful relationship . He becomes interested in a new computer that has an OP that talks and interacts with the owner. This is the world's first artificially intelligent OS … and it is intuitive and can learn as it goes along. It’s also the traditional computer with an expanded Goggle-type wealth of knowledge and  also keep up with all of Theodore’s computer related items… emails & texts, appointments, daily schedule, etc. .

Theodore quickly finds himself drawn in with Samantha. . They start spending a lot of time together.. day and night.. they grow closer and closer and eventually find themselves in love. Having fallen in love with his OS, Theodore finds himself dealing with feelings of both great joy and doubt. As an OS, Samantha has powerful intelligence that she uses to help Theodore in ways others can’t… but how does she, how can she help him deal with his inner conflict of being in love with her.. an OS. Also Samantha is trying to understand and deal with her own  “love” for him ??

 

 What does it mean to be human? And if we create near-humans what is our responsibility to them and what is their relationship to us? The movie presents and deals with these themes very thoroughly, intimately and believably.
“Her” is in the near future, but everything we see is within reach now: the isolation and starkness of the "business district," the oppressive scale of the architecture, and the need for continuous connection to remote voices or machines.  

Pitch perfect performances and direction by Spike Jonze ( he also wrote the screenplay) kept me intently in the story. The locations, cinematography and even the  music wonderfully shine in  this film.  Jonze is a master story weaver at the top of his game. Joaquin Phoenix is utterly and touchingly credible as the lonely somewhat nerdy guy. All  the other cast members including Amy Adams do an outstanding job... But the real star of the movie is Scarlett Johansson who  performs utterly convincingly though she is never seen since she is only a computer voice… but what a voice.

 

This delightfully intimate and non-violent film  is more emotionally involving than even Enough Said (one of 2013's best romances) because the interaction between the software and the man is all verbal, no glimpse of the gorgeous Johansson allowed. The closest they come to a physical relationship is when they engage in “telephone sex” which gets hot and heavy… and what makes it more intense is that the screen goes completely dark during this the verbal sexing scene. It makes you realize how connecting with a live human is so much a mind thing which is  one of life's great gifts, orgasm or not.

This is an amazing, unique, magical film that I would recommend to everyone and I’m pretty sure that you will not have seen anything quite like it before. ( I REAL:LY enjoyed this movie)

Rated R for language, sexual content and brief nudity.

Clark

NOTE: Samantha Morton was originally the voice of Samantha. She was present on the set with Joaquin Phoenix every day. After the filming wrapped and Spike Jonze started editing the movie, he felt like something was not right. With Morton's blessing, he decided to recast the role and Scarlett Johansson was brought in and replaced Morton, re-recording all the dialogue and Joaquin returned to be on the set with her.