Sitting down in the theater I wasn’t sure what to expect. From the previews for Her that I saw, I had no idea where the movie was heading. In spite of my initial hesitation, I found Spike Jonze’s newest film to be a fun, engaging, and well-executed film.
Her is surprisingly solid for having such a small cast and few major events. It seems that most movies now, despite how well-written they are, need some sort of action to survive. Her, however, develops a serious plot line and creates intense emotional attachment to the characters with little more than dialogue. Seeing a grown man talk to himself is odd at first, but the interaction between Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix) and ‘Samantha’ (Scarlett Johansson) is thought-provoking and real.
Beyond the acting and interesting story, Jonze’s movie touches on a large number of social issues. The film plays with our perception of what is real and what we consider true emotions, as well as taking a stab at heartbreak and human interactions with technology. The emotional connection demonstrated between a man and an intelligent operating system is strange, yet feels incredibly personal. This contributes to a larger dialogue surrounding media, playing with the need for human interaction and wondering if the interactions we create are real or disconnected.
Complementing the reflections on society and love is the fascinating camera work that makes the film feel alive. One shot that stands out in particular occurs in a scene where Theodore and ‘Samantha’ are in the middle of defining their relationship more completely. All we see in focus is half of Theodore’s face and the earpiece he wears to communicate with his virtual girlfriend. The rest of his face, even the opposite corner of his mouth, along with his body and the background, are out of focus. The attention is placed directly on the human face and its interaction with another being, adding to the perception of an emotional connection occurring on-screen.
Even the use of color and setting are noteworthy here. While there were no incredible special effects, the world set up in the movie is engaging and easy to navigate. Importantly, the film occurs in a believable future, one without flying cars and genetically modified humans, but with an attachment to technology that can be seen as natural. The building styles, props, and settings reflect a near-future minimalism and functionality. The colors used are often muted pastels, and lights in the background are consistently out of focus. The world is believable and easy to absorb, complex without being overwhelming.
The only flaw in the film is the ending. The filmmakers were careful not to make the personal development of ‘Samantha’ too technologically explicit, and choose to leave much to the imagination. But the story could use just a dash more of ‘Samantha’ herself. We don’t need to know how she works, but it would help for us to hear a bit more about how she interacts with others beyond Theodore. This might make our attachment to Theodore even more intense. Still, it was refreshing that the technical jargon often found in futuristic, science fiction movies is left out of Her.
Overall, Her is a witty, complex film that allows us to step into a new world, one that is not as far-removed from our own as we might like. Heartbreak is a common theme, as well as what we consider happiness and true feeling. I certainly recommend seeing it, even if only for the interesting social commentary and the exploration of character.
Our New Grip 