Sci-Fi That's Smaller But Far More Superior

Rating: 8/10 (11 January 2014)

First of all, I'm incredibly glad to see such an unconventional and original story (that wasn't based off of yet another novel) in this day and age. What can definitely be found in this film is an incredibly fascinating concept. Theodore Twombly (played by Joaquin Phoenix) lives in the future where technology is ever more convenient- doing everything you want it to at the utterance of a few words- and the newest addition introduces any who're interested to an OS that's able to serve as a romantic companion, deeply discussing the way of the world with you and engaging in phone sex when the arousal starts to sink in. It makes you think of how much more comfortable or widely different the future will be from the present day. The idea of virtual companions might not suit everyone, but the idea, in and of itself, is undoubtedly intelligent and complex nonetheless. This partner is void of any imperfections that plague the common female (or male); it knows you inside out and can converse about the subjects you actually enjoy. Consequently, the quantity of argument is dramatically reduced and the sound of genuine laughter and sheer joyousness permeates in its stead. Now, the more shallow and insensitive of individuals might find such an idea highly bothersome and strange, but in essence, this picture attempts to question the boundaries of love. Does love have to be inextricably conventional and tied to the societal norms like everything else in this world?
I admire the fact that these characters, for once in a Hollywood production and this mightily perverted society, didn't get right down to sex. There's much more to love than the sexual intercourse- something that might act equally as sensational. Of course, the hard-hearted alpha males will laugh at such talk, but the romantic and truly loving will adore its implications. Throughout the movie's duration, we see the impressive amount of comfort and intimacy shared between Theodore and his OS/computer (Samantha, played by Scarlett Johansson). Like with the "Before" trilogy, Her shows the most heartwarming of relationships: when the couple actually get along verbally and share each other's profound knowledge of the fascinating aspects of life. Right then and there, you sight the authenticity and their pleasure for each other's company. A narrow-minded individual would quickly realize the impossibility of having sex with this entity and tend elsewhere. With this rapidly-developing relationship, the audience is able to discern the fundamental depths of true love.
Anyways, Joaquin Phoenix, once again, proves why he's one of the most talented actors in the business today- a terrific performance. I absolutely love how this guy can transform into anyone- from a nefarious tyrant to a deranged, lost soul and now to a sweet and wholly goodhearted dude. The role of Samantha is arguably Johansson's finest showing- her variegated and vehement voice, as it stands alone, proves that Johansson is a perfectly capable actress. The screenplay, in addition, allows for the richness and delightful unraveling of this unorthodox relationship. Quite popularly this year, I discovered a fair share of humor in this smart narrative. Honestly, I was continually cracking up during its first half before it took on a more dramatic tone in order to address the serious thematic material behind this entire notion. Though I found it faltering in its second half, I was persistently amused and engrossed in its first half as we begin to learn of how this distant future exactly functions and are introduced to the fascinating machine that suddenly slips into Theodore's life. Furthermore, though on a much smaller scale, like with Cuaron's Children of Men, a whole new type of world (immensely metropolitan and urbanized) is created and (cleverly) deliberately revealed thanks to Jonze's ingenious vision.
With all that praise being given, I have to reiterate how disappointed I was with its closing minutes. For one, I didn't appreciate the slightly "Hollywood-ized" and seemingly unnatural ending. I won't go into spoilers (as much as I loved to talk more in-depth in reviews, I obviously can't), but it was exactly what I was expecting. You knew where these particular characters would end up at the end of the story, and so, I found that somewhat uninspired and compromising. The theme, if I'm right, felt simplistic (compared to the abstract nature the premise of the film promised). I also didn't agree with what the film seemed to be saying about this entire image after presenting a fairly balanced voice on the state of relationships and the various paths they're allowed to take. During its running, you could clearly detect the negatives and positives of dating a normal human being versus a virtual partner and the other way around. Its ending just wasn't as memorable and satisfying as the rest of the film seemed to be indicating. At the end of the day, I found Her to be a breath of fresh air in the sci-fi realm (its execution of the genre far superior to any of the bombastic 100-million-dollar blockbusters this year) - remarkably magnificent in its world-building, featuring an unbelievably pleasing tale (at first), and forcing us to question the conventionality of society's idea of love and relationships in general.