Review: Her

Set in a seemingly disconnected near-future where A.I. technology has advanced far enough that an operating system has been developed with an artificially intelligent ‘personality’. Constantly evolving, it can come quite close to seeming to have its own consciousness. Joaquin Phoenix plays a guy whose occupation is to create handwritten letters for people…via a computer, of course. He has just gone through a rough breakup with Rooney Mara, and decides to buy himself an OS1. He goes through the installation process, choosing the perfect voice and eventually the name Samantha is settled on. Things start off innocuously enough, but after a while, all the compliments and seemingly deep, personally insight from Samantha sees the lonely man develop…well, sorta kinda romantic feelings for her…and his feelings are returned! At first, Phoenix is secretive about the unusual relationship, until he realises that a lot of others are doing it too! But will this seemingly perfect relationship with a non-human specifically programmed to meet his every need (but also to continually evolve), really last? Amy Adams plays Phoenix’s supportive friend, whom he had kind of a thing with years ago, and who may not be as happy as she makes out. Chris Pratt plays a co-worker (aside from Adams, he’s the only real human contact he’s had lately), Olivia Wilde plays the blind date from hell (though to be fair, Phoenix’s inability connect and Wilde’s inability to deal with that, makes it the blind date from hell), and Brian Cox has a brilliant voice-only cameo, the nature of which is best left unspoilt.

 

With a premise that screams ‘A Charlie Kaufman Screenplay’, it’s a bit of a surprise to find that director Spike Jonze (“Being John Malkovich”, “Adaptation”) came up with the script for this 2013 film all on his very own. And it’s undoubtedly original, interesting, and if you can go with it, ultimately really moving. It’s as if author Douglas Adams had collaborated on a screenplay with one of his own creations, Marvin the Paranoid Android, and this is the result put to the screen. The film may be fanciful and set in the future, but it’s definitely saying something about our current relationship with computer technology. Is the situation depicted here likely to happen? Not exactly like this, and I found the expressiveness in the computer’s voice a little too far-fetched to be entirely convinced at first, but after a while, the film really started to get to me.

 

This isn’t science fact, but it’s a fascinating, if depressing look at a rather lonely, disconnected worldview that may not be a million miles from where we end up as a society. I mean, Facebook and other internet sites already keep track of your movements and interests to provide ‘helpful’ advertisements, so the situation here isn’t so far removed from plausible reality that it seems laughable. And if you think about it, Phoenix’s relationship with Samantha follows an awfully familiar trajectory…it’s kinda like most romantic relationships, really. Whether or not you entirely buy the specifics here, you can see how problematic it could be to have a machine give you constant platitudes, reassurances, compliments and affection without having any of the flaws that us human beings have. It’s almost the perfect relationship, no one would venture outdoors if this were to happen. And then the subject of surrogate sex is brought up and things get really, really weird. It leads to the most bizarre threesome in cinematic history, and yet it’s one of the most plausible things in the film. You just know some lonely tech-head in Japan is gonna get drunk one night and work this thing out. In fact, how was this film idea not made into a Japanese film first? But for me, the thing that best encapsulated this idea of human disconnect mixing with computer technology, is the fact that Joaquin Phoenix’s character’s occupation was working for a company that specialises in writing ‘hand-written’ letters to loved ones from people who are too emotionally inert to write the letters themselves. The letters, of course, aren’t really hand-written, they are printed off a computer that has software to ‘write’ these ‘handwritten’ letters. Holy crap, if that’s not the most depressing job in the entire world, I don’t know what is. And if that’s an insight into the future, I hope I don’t live to see it. In fact, there’s something creepy about the A.I. here, too. With the way it evolves, one starts to wonder if this is the first step in the “Rise of the Machines”. Let’s just say, I hope Bill Gates never finds himself single, lonely, and despondent. 

 

The film isn’t entirely without humour. The film is almost worth seeing alone for the reaction on Phoenix’s face when his new OS1 asks ‘Can I look at your hard drive?’ is absolutely priceless. And don’t tell me you don’t know why. It’s the same reaction you’d have on your own face at such a question.

 

Phoenix is absolutely perfectly cast in this. I personally would’ve given him the Oscar the previous year for “The Master”, but he once again shows himself to be a strong and versatile actor. He’s very impressive and empathetic (rather than pathetic, a line that he could’ve easily crossed over into), even if he was better in “The Master”. I guess you could argue that all or at least most of his characters have some kind of inner torment going on as a common thread, but you can’t really say his roles in “Parenthood” (Yes, Leif Phoenix and Joaquin Phoenix are one and the same), “Gladiator”, “Walk the Line”, “The Master”, and “Reservation Road” are all the same.

 

Phoenix finds himself one lucky bastard here, supported by a trio of lovely women (four if you’re a Scarlett Johansson fan), especially Amy Adams, who is so wonderful. Full Stop. The End. She just is, even when not glammed up here (Wanna know how glorious she is? According to IMDb she cheered herself up during some of the more emotional scenes by singing songs from musicals like “Annie” and “Rocky Horror”. I hate musicals and even then I still love this woman. There, I said it). Rooney Mara is hilarious casting here when you think about it (“The Social Network”, anyone?), and she gives a terrific performance. Meanwhile, Phoenix’s date with Olivia Wilde is seven flavours of awkward and genuinely funny and sad at the same time. The film has also been expertly shot by Hoyt Van Hoytema (“The Fighter”, “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”), it’s incredibly beautiful to look at. There’s lots of pretty shots of street lights and neon signs, and nice lighting at times.

 

Reminiscent of “Synecdoche, New York”, “Stranger Than Fiction”, “Being John Malkovich” and “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”, it’s not as great as those films, but not too far behind I must say. It’s a remarkable film that, despite its futuristic setting, might just make you think about today’s world. Funny, sad, moving, thought-provoking, possibly creepy and a little uncomfortable, but definitely one of the best and most memorable films of the year.

 

You might find yourself amazed at how invested you become in this film and its characters. After all, it sounds a bit like “Electric Dreams”, doesn’t it? Yes, except the only thing about “Electric Dreams” that didn’t suck was the title song by Giorgio Moroder and Phil Oakley. It’s a beautiful, maybe even sweet film, and the ending is simply perfect, almost kinda spiritual (Certainly existential). A must see.

 

Rating: B