Spike Jonze writes, directs and produces the story of a man recovering from his divorce and ends up falling in love… with his computer.
Set in the not so distant future is the tale of Theodore Twombly, from his lonely beginnings, failure to connect with the world to his new romantic interest. ‘Her‘ doesn’t just tackle the subject of loneliness, but also raises questions about the kind of relationships people will have in the future.
This film rests solely on the shoulders of the superb Joaquin Phoenix as the isolated Theodore Twombly. Basing a film entirely around someone who is isolated from himself and the world around him is a very risky thing to do. What Phoenix does wonderfully is show us a person who does want to interact with the world, but the hurt from his previous relationship has made him withdrawn.
Enter Samantha, who through her own enthusiasm for life reignites Theodore’s enthusiasm for the world and the people around him. Only thing is, Samantha isn’t a person, she’s an Operating System, played beautifully by Scarlett Johansson.
Amy Adams puts in yet another top draw performance as Amy who’s own relationship deteriorates as Theodore’s relationship with Samantha grows.
Cinema’s adage of ‘Show, don’t tell’, doesn’t apply to ‘Her’. Characters regularly discuss their thoughts, their feelings, their relationships and what they think about their feelings and what they feel about their relationships, but it is never self-indulgent. Set in a pristine future, people are even more detached than they are now. People form friendships with their video games, have instant phone sex with random strangers, even Theodore’s job is to write letters for people who can’t be bothered to write to their own loved ones. This disconnect is highlighted when Theodore meets a blind date in the form of Olivia Wilde. Starting off as a flirty date dramatically switches from an enjoyable evening to an aggressive, paranoid and downright bizarre encounter.
Whilst Theodore struggles to connect with real people he finds himself having feelings for his OS, Samantha. Their relationship, initially, starts along normal lines of two people getting to know each other on a personal level before a physical one begins. As sexual interactions have broadened in the future Theodore and Samantha’s first sexual encounter superficially is no different to that of a long distance relationship, but the cracks start to show when they try to be more like a standard couple.
With these new kinds of relationships, there are new kinds of problems, one of which is how to have an actual physical intimacy with an OS. Samantha’s solution to this problem is somewhat disconcerting and raises a host of ethical and moral questions.
In another development, it is clear everyone else in the film has been forming friendships with their own OS, the result of which is shocking but inevitable.
There is very little to criticise in this film. Amy’s character arc is somewhat predictable in a film that otherwise steers clear of clichés, but in a film about a man who is withdrawn from the world it’s a welcome cliché.
An intelligent and thought provoking film, it provides a glimpse into a future we are fast approaching. The more ways there are to communicate the more detached we become and this films shows us to be even more detached in the future than we already are, but deep down reveals that for all the technological advancements what we all crave and what we all need is basic human interaction.
Enjoy this article? Then why not sign up to Fortitude Magazine’s Weekly Round Up! Our pick of the week’s best news, reviews, videos and music straight to your inbox. Click here to sign up today!