Her (2013) 9/10 Taps into the holes of humanity in the not too distant future

Rating: 9/10 (27 January 2014)

This is my first ever review, so I would appreciate your point of view. I was not aware of the 1000 word limit so if this review interests you, please read further in my blog listed below First of all i'd like to say keep an open mind because it is understandable that such a relationship can be seen as creepy.
"Her" is a great film with its thought provoking cult aspects that help the intelligent viewer understand the search for purpose in a time of social inertia. It puts the audience into the protagonist's shoes as a part of us also falls in love with the operating system. With certainty, Spike Jonze will have more eyes towards his work because the attraction this film will gain. His auteur style from Being John Malkovich can once again be reflected; an awkward character in surreal environment that focuses on an obsession which makes them too blind to see it in a realistic perspective. As quoted from the aforementioned film Spike Jonze carries on the films image of someone who: 'shows us a reflection of ourselves, our frailties and our desperate humanity' Why I believe it should be on everybody's 'to watch' list is because it puts many modern social issues into perspective and provides a near future sci-fi experience which seems possible; identifying the personal conflicts that individuals may face as we progress in our lives. The film displays the futuristic concept of how technology has gained more reliance in our world and thus the outcome has displaced our social skills, which diminishes the opportunity of human interaction.
The fragility and humane vibe given from the main character is repeated in the works of the protagonist's occupation, as a part of his soul is exhibited from the very personal tailored letters for the customer, accurate to the stoke of the calligraphy. As the scene opens the notion of ethics immediately becomes visible; we recall the word society as a question rather than a statement. This is because the scene may have developed technologically but has made people unable to connect on a personal level. The audience gets a feel of the environment when they see a successful organization profiting from having a stranger making anniversary letters for you, the lack of face-to-face conversation in the most concentrated environments, not even visual contact, where the majority of extras are walking alone facing the floor. People are desensitized by any normal affection and long for some kind of comfort to a level where some people even volunteer to act as surrogates to operating systems. Relationships and commitment seem more fickle and activities such as divorce proceedings can all be done indirectly and also when Amy Adams explains how she split up with her partner over such a trivial topic. There is more meaning than what meets the eye when Amy Adams shows the video of her mother sleeping meaning a lot to her as it suggests the idea 'we are free when we sleep', the freedom which we desire as we are held by our own chains. It is easy to understand that people are more likely to communicate with software than to others as it is personal, like a diary and so this antisocial method of communicating becomes an easier coping mechanism. As displayed in the scene with Olivia Wilde, when cut away from human interaction it becomes harder to get back into finding companionship as it feels like we are being chucked into the deep end of a pool. The video game is also a reflection of himself as he feels like a child in a big world where he is lost and alone. Joaquin Phoenix's character, Theodore is a fairly normal guy in the real world that has a comfortable job, a great apartment and has all the modern facilities that he desires, but the loneliness within is evident in his persona; awkward because of his experiences in life and trying to engage in cyber sex. As he approaches the final steps of his divorce (with Rooney Mara as Catherine), he builds a rapport with the new operating system, Samantha (Voiced by Scarlett Johansson), who is first seen as his personal secretary. This is the near future so this type of relationship can be seen as common. His grasp for some kind of connection is displayed well in imagery as his shirt matches the colour of the OS1 software when he first installs it. He also goes in conversation about his mother to his computer. Many of the social scenes he in has a shirt matching the environment as if he is trying to fit in with the world. Relationships like this are becoming the norm with society, as the OS's appear to reflect conscious thought within their own personality and possess artificial intelligence.....
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