Her may not win it all, but its definitely the best-directed film of 2013

Rating: 8/10 (24 January 2014)

Leave it to Spike Jonze to create an expensive sci-fi movie that can still manage its heavy indie roots and tone.
Her is a beautifully directed comedic drama that gives a major twist to your typical lonely-boy-meets-girl film. Spike Jonze continues to impress with his ability to keep the audience engaged no matter how unique the scenario is. His biggest strength is allowing you to be embedded within the environment no matter what the circumstance is, whether it's inside the imagination of a child or inside the mind of a well-known actor.
The concept here is heavy science fiction, but believable science fiction in the style of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Her follows a lonely writer that starts a relationship with an operating device (sexily voiced by Scarlett Johansson) in a futuristic world that lacks communication and intimacy between people as technology has separated everyone into their own little world. The movie paints a future in which the technology makes life easier and smoother, but makes it much harder for humans to interact and seek out their vital emotions.
Oscar-worthy performances also help carry this movie. Joaquin Phoenix is absolutely amazing as the nice, shyly vulnerable writer that continues to struggle getting over a past relationship. Phoenix flawlessly displays the raw depression that comes with having to separate from someone you loved and have spent a good hunk of your life with. And then there is Scarlett Johansson who manages to make you forget that she is just a computer program with her voice. Being able to convey all her emotions using just her vocal chords gives her one of the better voice-over performances since Ellen DeGeneres in Finding Nemo.
Spike Jonze is the biggest strength, but also its biggest weakness. Although he skillfully directs Her with a dazzling mix of technical wit and Sundance flair, his script misses the knockout punch as the movie lounges in the final act. It is a tough enough concept, and felt like it was a great idea that had trouble coming up with the proper ending. Even with the amazing amount of detail, visual hints, and superb use of color, the wonderful ride ends all too abruptly and a bit too soon.
The one advantage of Eternal Sunshine over this movie is that it had a delightful ending that wrapped up the entire story perfectly. For a movie so heavy in detail and dialogue, ambiguity can really stand out and Her does exactly that crossing the two hour threshold. Nonetheless, all the technical work from the cinematography to the art design was flawless. Just like the other Oscar contender Gravity, the visuals and direction more than make up for a script that could have used some polishing.
Her is definitely a film that will not win Best Picture because it's a bit jagged for the typical crowd and because of its explicit science fiction atmosphere (Honestly, name a sci-fi movie that won Best Picture), but it clearly stands as one of the best films of 2013 and another display as to why Spike Jonze is one of the best directors in the business.