A classic love story for our modern age

Rating: 9/10 (19 January 2014)

It's highly unlikely you have seen or will ever see again a romantic dramedy in the vain of Her again, for Spike Jonze's film is a highly original, meditative and strangely beautiful tale of love and life and a movie that on paper should never have worked but thankfully due to a witty and believable script and two award worthy performances (one that isn't even on screen) is a movie that is in a league of it's own.
It's a rare thing for a movie to feel so raw and true, especially a movie that is positioned around a relationship between a depressive divorcée and his romantic relationship with his new Operating System (O.S). In this relationship Spike Jonze has dug out one of Joaquin Phoenix's best on screen performances and in any other year could be vying for a well deserved Oscar. Phoenix's expresses a range of emotions that build an audience affection for Theo that with any lesser actor could of been a feat that would've not been achieved. Theo as a one man show though is nothing without his offsider, a voice in his and the audiences ear yet a voice that displays humanity that allows us to forget Samantha is not actually here with us, and for this all credit must go to Scarlett Johansson.
Originally filmed with Samantha Morton voice Jonze re-casted Samantha with Johansson and with that choice has made the movie a tale brimming with life and delivered one of the best ever voice roles displayed in a movie. Every feeling that Samantha feels, every bit of laughter and anguish is perfectly pitched by Johansson and therefore acts as a career peak of the leading lady and again a performance that deserves awards. It's such a feat by the cast and those behind the scenes to bring Her to life in the way in which it does, from the music by Arcade Fire, the stunning cinematography by Hoyte Van Hoytema and again back to Jonze's original and thoughtful script every element of Her feels just about perfect with only slight pacing issues and some perhaps filler scenes stopping Her from being a flawless love tale.
Filled with Jonze's usual unique sense of humor and oddness, Her is not for everybody, but for those willing to be a part of a love story like no other it's a breath of fresh air and a movie impossible not to come out smiling from. After the misfire that was Where the Wild Things Are, Her finds Jonze fantastically back on form and a story that provides a love tale for the modern day us, a people more and more likely turning to technology to find meanings within ourselves and love we have yet to find in the real world.
4 and a half high riding trouser pants out of 5
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