Skims the real issues without really hitting the heart of it.

Rating: 6/10 (17 February 2014)

The concept of "Her" is not completely new but nonetheless, I was excited at the prospect of this film and shared the trailer with numerous friends, often debating if it would be possible to fall in love with an operating system and would humanity ever reach a point such as this? For me, delving into this topic with friends was more interesting and thought provoking than the film itself.
Early on, you can clearly see that the main character Theodore (played by the outstanding Joaquin Phoenix) is in desperate need of human interaction and attention. Rattled by his impending divorce, he becomes a loner, content with letting life pass him by. That is until he "meets" Samantha, his new OS.
At first, their relationship is similar to that of an office manager and a PA. Yet this quickly develops into something deeper. Evidence of how love can make you feel is reflected in Theodore's character as he physically blossom as the scenes progress.
This is where "Her" begins to lack substance. For one, no one bats an eyelid at the fact the he is in love with his OS. In fact, everyone is doing it. There is no real defining moment where you feel that Theodore really questions they dynamics of what is occurring.
There are a number of moments during the film where the script flirts with the real thought-provoking issues but never fully develops. The main case in point being the scene where Samantha reveals that she talks to thousands of humans at any one time and is in fact in love with over 600 of them. This is a huge revelation, a defining moment in showcasing the fundamental differences between the two beings and yet it is somehow just washed over.
Furthermore, "Her" ends with a whimper and without much explanation. It was a safe choice that left me frustrated. It could have been so much stronger.
On a positive note, Phoenix and Johannson are two shining lights of this film. Phoenix is perfect for this role, your typical "Hollywood heart throb" would not have delivered the same character portrayal. Johannson will receive little adulation for this work but it is a truly difficult skill to execute and she does fantastically well to deliver the emotion that echoes from her voice.
The concept had so much potential for the big screen and whilst the cinematography and lead roles are strong, "Her" fails to really hit the heart of the matter and leaves you feeling rather nonchalant about the storyline rather than feeling the need to form a strong opinion.