A lonely man falls in love with his computer.

Rating: Null/10 (5 March 2014)

Film opens with lead actor Joaquin Phoenix at his work-desk. He spends his day oozing fake sentimentality, as he helps other people to connect with one another. However in reality, he and many others, live fundamentally lonely lives in this near-future dystopia.
He lives in a city with shiny sky-scrapers. His life is good. This future world seems to have no problems, no shortages, no wants. However this brave new world is dominated by communication devices and gadgets. It is really very much like our own world, but the computers are just much more advanced.
Decades ago now, SF writer Isaac Asimov introduced us to his 'Three Laws of Robotics' and SF writer Douglas Adams introduced us to "Computers with the new GPP feature", (Genuine People Personalities). So this modern film is perhaps exploring some now old ideas. However this is a serious film that is clearly looking at the trends in our modern world and looking at where they may take us. As such this is a good film.
Last year, around St Valentine's Day, this reviewer saw the heart-warming zombie-romance film 'Warm Bodies'. However I felt that 'Her', about a man in love with a computer, seemed to lack something, and so very nearly decided not to watch it.
This film is about a computer, or to be more precise an 'OS' ('Operating System') that handles emails as well as a host of other activities, that has some sort of artificial intelligence. It is the latest must-have gadget. Mr Phoenix, plays Theodore, who decides to have this. Now 'AI' (Artificial Intelligence), in our real world, is the holy grail, which at this very moment in time is having huge amounts of money invested in it. So this film is actually very prescient.
When Theodore gets his 'OS' he falls in love with it. The 'OS' system, Samantha, is played by Scarlett Johansson, who was in the 2009 film 'He's Just Not That Into You'. Both Miss Johansson and Mr Phoenix play their parts well and convince us in their relationship as they fall in love. However as this film is about a man in love with a computer, it begs the question, where is this relationship going? The relationship does in fact go very well, and functions like all other relationships. Clearly we are meant to pick up that the relationship with Samantha, the 'OS', is just like any other relationship between humans. We see it start and grow and develop.
Theodore is a lonely man. He was married, but his wife, played by Rooney Mara, is divorcing him. He meets a woman, played by Olivia Wilde, but he cannot commit. Both actresses give good and believable performances in their supporting roles. Another good supporting performance is given by Amy Adams, who recently wowed us with her great performance in the recent Oscar-nominated 'American Hustle'. One other actress deserves a special mention, because Portia Doubleday, although in a very small part, plays a character very different from her 'mean girl' Chris Hargensen in the 2013 remake of 'Carrie'. She is clearly an accomplished actress.
Spike Jonze is both the writer and director of this film. Script is good and believable, film locations are well chosen (very futuristic), and the shooting of the film itself was expertly done. Mr Jonze was the director of the 1999 film 'Being John Malkovitch'. He is clearly a clever writer and director who enjoys making clever films. In this film, 'Her', he even finds time to contribute a voice to a small computer part. And yes, that other, (all too brief), rich voice, you hear, is that of Brian Cox.
Mr Phoenix too, is someone who likes to do serious films. 'The Master' (2012) is a similarly serious film, and Mr Phoenix clearly enjoys playing those more complex characters. However, good and worthy as these films are, this reviewer found both that film, and this one, rather unsatisfying and joyless.
The film then, is a worthy project, as it highlights current trends, and takes them to their logical conclusions. We are spending more and more of our time with things, and less and less of our time with people. Let's learn the lesson and reject the machines and loneliness, and reach out and embrace the people. Human contact and friendship is all.
Those looking for an uplifting love and romance film, should try the unique 'A New York Winter's Tale'. Those who see this serious film, who are interested in the questions raised, should also try reading the thoughtful SF writing of Isaac Asimov. His machines are a million miles away from those of the 1984 film 'The Terminator'.
To sum up then, as expected, this film does lack something, so is dull, but as a warning to humanity, it is a worthy project.
Dull, but worthy. A serious film and a warning. 9/10.