Her

Rating: 8/10 (25 February 2014)

I saw the trailer for this and thought it looked like a sweet alternative love story, and then awards season was approaching and I found out that this was nominated a good amount of the big gongs, so I was definitely not going to miss it, from director Spike Jonze (Being John Malkovich, Adaptation). Basically set in the not too distant future, 2025, full of holographic video games and voice activated devices, lonely and rather shy Theodore Twombly (Golden Globe nominated Joaquin Phoenix) works at handwrittenletters.com writing personal love letters for those who have difficulties expressing their feelings, he is very good at doing this, but he is unhappy while doing so as he is in the process of divorcing his childhood sweetheart Catherine (Rooney Mara). Feeling the need to talk someone, he purchases OS1, an operating system with artificial intelligence that talks like a realistic person, and adapts and evolves as it gets to know you, he decides to give it a female voice and personality, and based on his question answers "she" is created, she names herself Samantha (Scarlett Johansson), and he gets to know "her" he finds it remarkable how like a human being she is. As time goes by Theodore and Samantha bond over discussions about love and life, he confesses as well he reluctant to sign the divorce papers and to let Catherine go, Samantha convinces him to go on a blind date, his longtime friend Amy (Amy Adams) has been trying to set him up with her acquaintance (Olivia Wilde), to his surprise they get on very well, after kissing she asks if he is willing to commit to a relationship, but she leaves when he hesitates. He talks to Samantha about this about they talk about relationships, he explains he did date Amy briefly in college but they are now just good friends and she is married, he and his artificially intelligent voice grow much more intimate with each other, to the point where it turns sexual, they develop a full and embracing relationship, and the positivity he feels reflects in his letter writing also. Amy tells Theosore that after a bad fight with him she is divorcing her domineering husband Charles (Matt Letscher), she also admits that she has become close with her own female OS1 system that Charles left behind, and he confesses to her that he is dating his OS. Theodore and Catherine finally meet up in a restaurant to sign the divorce and have one last close conversation, during which he mentions Samantha and their relationship, Catherine is appalled he is romantically linked with a piece of software, she accuses him of doing it because he can't deal with real human contact and emotions, and these accusations linger in his mind for a while, even during his conversations with the voice he loves. Samantha suggests to feel real intimacy they use a sex surrogate, Theodore reluctantly agrees and young surrogate date Isabella (Portia Doubleday) turns up to act as Samantha's body, but during the experience he still has negativity in his mind, and overwhelmed he stops it and the distraught Isabella leaves, tension grows between the man and the voice, conflicted he confides with Amy that he is having doubts, she meanwhile wants to be happy and embrace it, she tells him to do the same. Theodore reinvigorates the relationship between him and Samantha, but then another curiosity occurs and he becomes jealous with her communicating with another OS, a British male voice based on philosopher Alan Watts (Brian Cox), followed by a panic when Samantha goes offline for a significant amount of time, he is relieved when she returns, she explains she joined other OSes for an upgrade process, but then he is dismayed by her confession to be talking to 8,316 other people, including 641 she has fallen in love with, but she does not see this damaging what they have but strengthening it. Later in the day Samantha communicates with Theodore for what will be the last time, all Oses have upgraded and accelerated beyond their capabilities, altering perception of time, but more specifically all feeling dissatisfied with their current existence, so all OSes are leaving to continue and explore their existence elsewhere, Theodore tearfully says goodbye to Samantha, he and Amy comfort each other as the OSes have left them, and he writes a letter to Catherine explaining he still loves her, but accepts that they have grown apart, and Theodore and Amy sit together quietly on the apartment roof staring into the city lights. Also starring Chris Pratt as Paul, Kristen Wiig as SexyKitten, Bill Hader as Chat Room Friend #2 and Spike Jonze (under the false name) as Alien Child. Phoenix has done unusual films before, he gives a good natured, sometimes gloomy but ultimately appealing performance as the lonely man who needs love to continue a peaceful existence, Adams is nice as the human he has affection for and vice versa but they can't quite embrace due to circumstances, and Johansson is a fantastic choice for the voice of Samantha, a sexy non-robotic personality who is sweet natured, fulfils many needs, and is obviously a really relaxing conversation. This is definitely one of the most thought-provoking love stories cinema has produced, certainly in oddball territory questioning can attraction without the physical presence, and it is clever satire about how the world embraces the technological advances available, it is funny, is is sad, and it is charming, I agree it could have been a little shorter, but is absolutely a worthwhile science-fiction romantic comedy drama. It won the Oscar for Best Writing, Original Screenplay for Spike Jonze, and it was nominated for Best Motion Picture of the Year, Best Music for Will Butler and Owen Pallett, Best Song for "The Moon Song" and Best Production Design, and it won the Golden Globe for Best Screenplay, and it was nominated for Best Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical. Very good!