A poignant piece

Rating: 7/10 (17 March 2014)

Spike Jonze is known for his wild way or working, but despite the story's strangeness, this may be his most obviously focused and interesting film. Yes, it slows a little too much for the second act, there is a lack of back-story and development in the characters played by Rooney Mara and Olivia Wilde (one scene, and the most awkward one in the film at that, is surely a cameo?) and it certainly doesn't need to be over two hours. That's the bad.
The good? With stunning photography, a heart rending score and a lead performance by Joaquin Phoenix as Theodore Twomble that is incredibly subtle and poignant (the actor seems to believe in quality over quantity of work; everything he does is solid), the film manages to overcome the flaws and deal well with an idea in a way that brings to mind the author J. G. Ballard. The architecture, the colour schemes, even Theodore's job, they are all geared for a story about modern man's cold distance, indifference and manufactured realities and emotions, only for the film to then delve into a story about the human need for closeness and love, exploring that emotion's sometimes painful complexity to the fullest, and taking an interesting look at sexual objectification at the same time.
For a story that appears to be about a man interacting with a machine, the movie's moments of surprisingly emotional weight and its conclusion about love in human relationships make it properly engaging, with a compassion and humanity equal to the likes of another of the year's hits, 'Dallas Buyers Club'. Its tone and most bombastic moments mean it won't be for the less adventurous viewer, and it may be that not all relate to the "lonely guy" element of the film, but this is certainly a more fascinating work than I would wager a lot of people imagine.