High-Tech Meets High-Art in Her

Rating: 9/10 (22 January 2014)

--WARNING: There may be some spoilers ahead for those who haven't seen the film, so just a heads up. In order to accurately review this film, it may be necessary to talk about some key moments.--
There is a word that comes to mind when watching 'Her', and that word is 'Cerebral'. This film could be easily classified as a sci-fi romance, or a genre film geared towards hipsters, even an art-house social commentary; however, everything involved in this film is done in such a cerebral way that the messages appear subtle, yet thought provoking, but undeniably gentle. It's a melancholy experience layered deeply in human emotions and complicated questions that while they seem very easy to push away from as the core plot unfolds, find youself questioning just how strange things really are. Are we that far away from a reality such as the one in 'Her'?
Theodore, played by Jaoquin Phoenix, falls in love with an OS he purchases, as her programmed personality buds beyond that of all expectations into an emotionally capable form of artificial intelligence. This is what the film centers itself around, and the times when it pushes for artistic merit and a deeper sense of what a relationship can truly mean to an individual are it's strong points. However, 'Her' chooses to, much like the movie 'Drive' for example, offset it's slow and tested pace by offering up a juxtaposition, and deviation from it's accepted flow. For 'Drive' these moments came through ultra violence, in 'Her' they come through very forward language and some questionable dialog choices that tend to pull you out of the mood more than enhance it. These moments are at times funny, unfortunately more often when not intended.
Amy Adams and Olivia Wilde offer up some small supporting roles, but their very watered down and more of just a break from the banter between Phoenix, and Scarlet Johansson, who voices Samantha, the OS he falls for. These brief side stories and supplemental moments make you ponder a few 'what ifs' but remain ultimately untapped as potentially interesting derivatives. There are times when the story feels a bit too long, and they are most noticeable during these moments when the others aren't around. Theodore and Samantha are engaging and interesting to watch, but as stated before, without their relationship being placed in context, or having steady reminders of the real world around them, their relationship becomes very personal and almost too deep to relate to and even watch at times as too much information is given regarding the choice of pace.
The anchor behind Theodore's unfortunate character type is his divorce with Rooney Mara's character, which the film uses as a backdrop through short vignette style flashbacks that give reason for his emotionally reserved personality. Her characters presence like the rest is brief, but more pivotal in being the voice of reason during a time when the film seems to get too comfortable with's its leads decisions.
There are undeniably many unique things at work with 'Her', and the movie is an astonishing feet in terms of all the things it blends well together, and the number of moments within the film that will make you think, laugh, cry, and perhaps do all those at the same time. However, it's such a unique film that it's hard to recommend to anymore who isn't hardcore about films or art. Having watched this in a movie theater with only a few other people, me and my girlfriend where the only ones I believe actually enjoyed it, and others were falling asleep. It remains a hard sell to the masses I'm sure, but it's nothing short of a very interesting experience and a personal, yet necessary social commentary regarding the direction technology may take us in the not too distant future.