Well Isn't This A Little Gem

Rating: 9/10 (10 January 2014)

I wanted to see this movie the moment I saw Joaquin Phoenix on the poster and read about the film. As a lover of Sci-Fi flicks I knew I'd love this and I was not wrong.
(There really aren't any spoilers but just in case I let something slip) First off, the story line is unlike any I have ever seen. It's truly a unique film but it's not. It's up with the times of today in terms of technology but it feels old in its delivery in a good way.
Joaquin, Joaquin, Joaquin - WOW he's plays the character Theodore so amazing that I felt for him. I was bashful when he was bashful. The way the movie was shot with an in depth look into his eyes and his physical facial expressions were incredible. It was not as if he were acting but as if this was a real guy, like the Truman Show. He was so believable at it. So timid, so shy, so reclusive, so eager, and willing, searching and yearning for love. He was captivating to watch on screen and I think he was so because I saw a part of myself in him (I'm a woman). When I got embarrassed at certain parts that he did, I did so forreal, not for him but because I felt it as if it were happening to me. The introduction of Samantha and his bonding with her was a phenomenal scene. The "name" scene was brilliant in it's ability to capture a true response to this OS system.
Scarlett, Scarlett, Scarlett - I am interested to know if she shot her voice-over primarily in a booth because she was so on point that it felt too real and odd yet good. Her humor, her gaffs, and huffs, and puffs, and her reasons behind it were spot on with how one would think an advanced OS system would act. She succeeded in growing in the film. Her growth was heard in her voice, it was an escalation of a true advanced system. The scene of the picnic, wow, the fact that it was not odd for him to be with a system was beautiful yet very sad to think that this could be us in the future, or a person in the future.
I loved the clothing of the men, it was all the same. Although this was in the future, the men pant's fit equally on each man regardless of height. There was a strong emphasis on men in this film, it's as if the women were made to almost not be relevant in the film as they were merely there as props to help the film along and the only woman was Samantha. Maybe it was the cameras way of showing us how the world looked through Theo's eyes with Samantha.
The jealousy was cute and bashful. The surrogate OS scene was amazingly uncomfortable and delightful at the same time. I actually rooted for his love with his system, I wanted it to be what he wanted it to be.
The ending, I won't give it away but it was one of the most emotional scenes ever and Samantha's words were absolutely beautiful and haunting at the same time. I hate love stories because I just do but this one, this one was beautiful in all it's awkwardness and I absolutely adored the message of seeking love and getting love and losing love. But it's more than that, it was more like, what would you do? We saw those moments when Theo had doubt, you saw it in his face without words. It was great.
The Score was perfect, I almost cried once not because of the film but because the score was so beautifully done and evoked all the emotions out of me that I believe they were going for. I don't watch a movie like this without opening my mind to fully understand the scope of it and I am glad I did. After what I decided upon today, I thought I would be a mental wreck leaving the theater but I left even more assured that my decisions were spot on. I love when a film takes you there. . . .