Filmmaker Spike Jonze's ambitious yet ultimately creepy sci-fi romantic fantasy/dramedy

Rating: 3/10 (26 December 2013)

HER (2013) ** Joaquin Phoenix, (voice of Scarlett Johansson), Amy Adams, Chris Pratt, Rooney Mara, Olivia Wilde,(voice of Kristen Wiig) Filmmaker Spike Jonze's ambitious yet ultimately creepy sci-fi romantic fantasy/dramedy set in the 'near future' (which I pray never happens!) about a sad-sack writer of letters who finds himself falling in love with his 'female' artificial intelligence computer system (voiced with panache by the smoky-hued Johansson) who begins to develop more than feelings beyond his comprehension. While it is meant to be a valentine of sorts to his usual collaborator Charlie Kaufman, Jonze is all thumbs in the script (feels like a rough draft knock-off at best) with some cringe-worthy dialogue and a ripping-the-rug out from the viewer final act that cheats its own intentions meant to convey connections (and technically, grammatically it really should be titled "She"). A major disappointment in spite of a nuanced acting job by Phoenix.