The Nature of Humanity & Relationships

Rating: 8/10 (4 March 2017)

The "hook" that drew me to see "Her" in theaters was simple: the interesting "man falls in love with smart-phone" plot that was advertised in the trailers. While viewing the film, however, I discovered that this is a much deeper movie than I ever thought possible, dealing with the true nature of relationships and the very essence of humanity itself.
For a basic plot summary, "Her" (set in an unknown future year) focuses on the character of Theodore Twombley (Joaquin Phoenix). Theodore is an extreme introvert who, despite having the skill to create loving "couples notes" as a profession, is completely lost in the real world of relationships. Amy (Amy Adams) is basically the only person in the world that he can be himself around, and even she is "taken". As such, Theodore purchases a new computer operating system (voiced by Scarlett Johansson) that is basically "Siri X 1,000". An unintended result of the new operating system (in this case named Samantha) is that many users find themselves becoming romantically involved with the artificial intelligence. This is exactly what happens to Theodore Twombley.
Like I said, what initially drew me into this movie was the more science fiction-esque "man falls in love with smart-phone" concept. In this day-and-age of Hollywood sequels and repeated ideas, I found it refreshing that an entirely and completely original concept was at play here.
What I did not foresee, though, was just how "deep" this movie would go in describing the essence of relationships. "Her" has to walk a very fine film-making line because its entire concept often times seems utterly ridiculous (how can a person ever fall in love with a computer?!). However, every single time the viewer may even have a moment where they think that, the movie proves that the emotions could indeed happen and be very real. Again and again in the theater, I kept thinking that certain events were going to transpire, only to be surprised (in a very pleasant fashion) at how different and unique situations actually played out.
Basically, this is the type of movie that "thinking people" (and I mean the REAL deep ponderers) will revel in. If you are looking for action or adventure, look elsewhere or be severely disappointed. Instead, "Her" is about subtlety and frank discussions of romantic relationships and emotions. Yet, at the same time, it isn't so over-complicated that it turns into psychological mumbo-jumbo either.
Overall, then, I can see why "Her" was nominated for "Best Picture" at the 2014 Academy Awards. It should, IMHO, win "Best Original Screenplay" in a cinch. In fact, the only reason it can't be a serious contender for the bigger awards is because, at times, director Spike Jones gets really weird (some scenes are quite bizarre and maybe are even a little out of place in such a thoughtful treatise). Other than that, though, "Her" is a gem for the "thinkers" among us; those who loved to be challenge in the cinema while also being entertained.