If 'Her' is correct, all guys could be sporting high waisted trousers and moustaches in the near future

Rating: 10/10 (16 February 2014)

With talents such as Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams and of course Spike Jonze, it's no wonder why this film was not a disappointment. With it's completely original story, superb acting and incredible design, 'Her' is a profound achievement.
The plot, which focuses around Theodore Twombly, a recently divorced and lonely writer, and his newly acquired OS, with whom he eventually fall 'in love' with. Personally, I've never seen a story like this on screen before, unless you class that Big Bang Theory episode where Raj's Siri calls him 'Sexy'. It was one of the main reasons I really wanted to see this film. It's also great because it raised so many interesting questions; How far will humanities' relations with technology go? Do we rely on it too much? How advanced will it eventually become? It also makes you think about what people are really like in relationships; How far can you be 'in love' with no physical contact? When a movie makes you think of this many questions, it's already easy to guess that it's pretty good.
This narrative is brought out with really brilliant acting. I was surprised with Amy Adams initially. Even though I rated 'American Hustle', I didn't think Adams' acting in it was too great. In this, however, I was completely sold. Maybe because her character was written so well. A relatable, understanding friend who's always by your side. She seemed to highlight the human relationship and the joys it can bring, a dynamic that is hard to show in a story like this. Chris Pratt, who is suddenly in everything now, was great too. He brought a sense of comic understanding to the story, and was another example of how you need to be surrounded by love.
Except for Theodore, i found Olivia Wilde's character to be very intriguing. It's a shame that she is never given a name, because she also raises questions for Twombly and the audience. There's a definite charm and maturity that she brings to Theodore, another way of developing his character with wonderful symmetry.
Of course, though, Phoenix's lead was something brilliant, in the writing and performance. What he does with the character is quite incredible, as we see this man who has been through a lot; divorce, loneliness, etc, but is still quite naive. He still doesn't understand certain things, and sometimes sees things and situations in a child-like way. This was beautiful, as again is shows you what people can be like when in love. He also shows humans as relatable. There are some scenes where you're like, 'I do that', or 'yeah, I'd probably do the same'.
The music is something I can't flaw. This soundtrack is just so perfect and works incredibly with the film. It's almost as if it's a mirror to the emotions you feel. There's a wonderful scene where you literally see nothing, but it's acted so well and intertwined with the music so brilliantly that it's as if your seeing everything, and not just a blank screen. Even though there was a slight over use of sequences of Twombly mopeing around the city, the music mixed with it so well that it was more of a feeling that another sequence.
It looks incredible. The production design, the costumes, the locations, everything. It was pretty believable that this is what L.A would be like in the near future (small details would suggest that it's set around 50 years from now). The only problem I had with the design is that some of the technology feature seemed a bit too far fetched and unbelievable. Aside from this, though, the camera was used in a way that appreciated the small things in life. During an emotional scene, the camera would often cut to a dusty carpet or something on the ground, and even though at times this felt incoherent, It just makes you look and reflect, which you need during this kind of thought process. Sad scenes are also shot and written interestingly. On a few occasions, during an upsetting development, the camera would again cut to something funny. This is so subtle, though. It's like Jonze was saying; 'Yeah, there's a joke here. It's up to you whether you find it funny, because this is still a depressing scene'. The film does have a brilliant sense of humour, though. It's so down to earth yet relatable that it feels so smooth.
The fact that it changes the way you see relationships and to an extent, the world, makes this a unique cinema experience. You really feel the need to ask yourself these questions about technology and how it will eventually effect us. Hopefully, you'll come out thinking the same, and reflecting on how reliant you are on technology and how you act when in love, a 'form of socially acceptable insanity'.