Directed by:
Spike JonzeScreenplay:
Spike JonzeCinematography:
Hoyte van HoytemaCast:
Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Scarlett Johansson, Rooney Mara, Olivia Wilde, Chris Pratt, Matt Letscher, Portia Doubleday, Sam Jaeger, Katherine Boecher (more)VOD (1)
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Set in Los Angeles, in the near future, Her follows Theodore Twombly (Joaquin Phoenix), a complex, soulful man who makes his living writing touching, personal letters for other people. Heartbroken after the end of a long relationship, he becomes intrigued with a new, advanced operating system, which promises to be an intuitive and unique entity in its own right. Upon initiating it, he is delighted to meet "Samantha," a bright, female voice (Scarlett Johansson) who is insightful, sensitive and surprisingly funny. As her needs and desires grow, in tandem with his own, their friendship deepens into an eventual love for each other. (official distributor synopsis)
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Reviews (12)
Black Mirror presents a chattily heartfelt, melancholic and, due to its topic, also pretty chilly feature length special When Teddy met Siri which fits nicely between episodes The Entire History of You and Be Right Back in terms of topic and approach. In any case it must be sci-fi, mainly because a guy that looks like Groucho Marx is courted by (true, in different forms) Scarlett Johansson, Amy Adams, Rooney Mara, Olivia Wilde and Kristen Wiig. And then also because of the worry design of men’s pants of the future; whoa… For my own sake I hope that this aspect of Spike’s vision doesn’t come true.
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Hi, I’m Spike and I generate films just for you! - Oh! That’s great, let’s see what you can do. - Well, first, what genre would you like? - Hey, I quite fancy some sci-fi. But a smart one, no madness with robots or anything like that. A pinch of social satire and… - OK, I’m writing it down. What about romance? Humour? Would that be fine? - Yeah, I guess, but only a little, so it would be a bit sad and melancholic, rather than cloying, get it? And the humour, just a bit to spice things up. - Sure, we’ll go easy on it. And what about the actor for the leading role? You have any special requirements? - How about someone renowned but not a big celebrity? Maybe Philip Seymour Hoffman? - Sorry, mate, he’s dead. And Joaquin Phoenix? - Yeah, no worries. - And in what era would you like it to take place? A slightly altered present or a far, post-apocalyptic… - If possible, maybe somewhere in the near future. So it would be very similar to now, but also with some different and original details. I’d love that. So I could imagine that things will be like that in a few years, but I wouldn’t be too happy about it. - So the tone would be rather depressing? - Well…. not that, no. I don’t want any cheap happy ending, but it doesn’t need to be a heavy downer, either. Something half-way. Don’t make it too happy, but leave the characters with some hope. - Well, I think I already have it. It will be called Her. Have fun.
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"Play melancholic song." A design showcase for the 21st century bourgeoisie that really doesn't go one step beyond a mere experiment with the romance movie genre with its theme of transhumanity, which is built on nothing more than the fact that she is an artificial intelligence. The visuals, reminiscent of an attempt to place images from an Ikea catalogue into a narrative context, raise wild theories about whether we are actually in some kind of horrifying Heinlein-esque dystopia where all the characters are actually silent accomplices leading their empty lives in gentrified cities where all the people are young, beautiful, rich, and have creative jobs. That and Joaquin Phoenix in the lead with the creepy gamepiece in his forehead (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOimTfNR110) pull the whole otherwise pretty awful spectacle of designer consumerism up to a certain level. "Play melancholic film. Play different melancholic film."
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As a romantic film for romantics who are bored of cinematic romance and who turn off the TV before a couple in love have their last passionate kiss in the rain, Her is an absolutely brilliant choice. The original story set in the future works with so many unfamiliar and novel elements that it actually puts pressure on itself in order to successfully withstand all that new and strange stuff without ironically falling into the mundane. And despite the slightly cringe and sleepy last act, I can solemnly declare that the peculiar creator Spike Jonze has once again mastered his difficult task. This is by no means a deep odyssey across the sexual cells of humanity, and the romantic atmosphere simply couldn't work that well with the unmistakable female element replaced by a computer (as sexy as the voice sounded), but to be fair, the direction is flawless, originality clearly triumphs, and the script is built cleverly enough to keep our attention until the somewhat lacklustre finale. And God forbid that this vision should ever come true. :) 80%
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A virtual romance that to a certain extent adheres to the formula of its more traditional genre kin (boy meets girl, boy loses girl...), but because of the physical absence of a female partner and other vacant places in the space of the picture, it gives off a strange feeling of loneliness throughout its runtime. Joaquin Phoenix has to perform most of the boldly long shots on his own. In fact, he does the acting of two, as there is no visible reaction to his action. That which is essential happens either within the protagonist or off screen – in the soundtrack, which Theo also controls to a significant extent. For example, he chooses the (melancholic) soundtrack for his own life, by means of which the film not only thematises the manipulation of others’ lives (Sam becomes the new director of Theo’s existence), but also acknowledges his manipulative practices and thus deliberately diminishes their effectiveness. ___ The sluggish narrative pace and the emotional restraint at the level of formalistic techniques correspond to the strongly subjectivised (in terms of both image and sound) narrative. In various ways, the film itself is as shy as Theo, who also seems cut off from the outside world due his being situated in otherwise empty shots. Instead of the aforementioned absent partner, there is an interactive mise-en-scene that illustrates the protagonist’s mood and comments on the situations in which he finds himself. But the shyness shared by Theo and the film as a whole does not fit well with the film’s occasional lapses into vulgarity (erotic chatting, Samantha’s anal humour). However, we can perceive the overstepping of the boundaries of tastefulness as a means of pointing out the acceptance with which we allow virtual worlds to penetrate our intimate space (with similar acceptance, Theo tells the computer about his relationship with his mother). ___ With slight generalisation, it could be said that the desire to change something while not giving up one’s comfort is a paradox inherent not only in Theodore, who is afraid to step into the unknown and permanently cut off (real) contact with his former girlfriend, but also in the whole world today. Everything is outwardly perfect and cosy (which is aided in the film by the soothing pastel colours). We live in a state of comfort that was definitely never the standard before, but at the same time, we are often lonely, isolated and rarely truly happy, because we are always in search of the most convenient solutions (because the software that we buy will logically oblige us in everything). Surface perfection conceals inner emptiness. Substitutes for real people, real feelings and real actions simplify life to such an extent that we lose contact with it. Others express emotions for us by means of letters composed without the necessity of touching the keyboard (let alone using a “manual” writing implement). ___ However, Jonze is not a sceptic who would resolutely reject modern technology. He doesn’t completely condemn the possibility of a contactless relationship – for example, Theo’s dialogue with Amy seems just as unforced as his conversations with Sam – but only points out the drawbacks of choosing to live without touch. Whether that involves the visual absence of a partner in our memories or the loss of the “aura” of a beloved and still certainly original object. Fortunately, there are no appropriate alternatives to certain pleasant realities, even in a world of perfect replacements and substitutes. For now… 80%
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