Theodore Twombly is a semi-depressed, certainly withdrawn writer who spends most of his time alone in his apartment. He has been separated from his wife for almost a year but still suffers, wondering what he did wrong. When Theodore purchases a new highly advanced operation system that has the ability to evolve, things begin to get better for him. He has a companion in this OS, named Samantha, and soon enough he begins to fall in love. Spike Jonze Her is a bold and incredibly unique romantic comedy that accomplishes nearly everything one could hope for from this type of film. Her is certainly an astute social commentary on society's growing reliance on technology but the film's true accomplishment is its dissection of love and companionship. Through Theodore the film captures nearly every up and down associated with love from the jealousy or fear one feels after falling for someone, to the self-depreciation and depression which can consume ones soul after a relationship is dissolved. Theodore is an incredibly well-written character in that regard with Joaquin Phoenix giving a performance reaffirming that he is one of the most talented actors working today. Her is a film bursting from the seams with thematic elements that encourage intelligent discussion but to the film's credit it never once feels overstuffed or muddled. The ever growing disconnect between human connection is certainly a major commentary in Her, illustrated by the small amount of instances where we see two humans actually interacting. Hell, even Theodore's job as a writer of handwritten letters is the epitome of a society relying on technology to help them show their emotions. Another aspect of Her which I found fascinating is the emotional connection vs. physical connection debate, with the film illustrating how both are important but love is truly derived from companionship more than attraction. From a technical standpoint, Her is an extremely well-crafted film with stylish cinematography that enhances the film but never distracts. My favorite directorial decision in the entire film may have been the first time Samantha and Theodore are intimate, with Jonze having the screen go completely black for a matter of minutes, putting the viewer into Samantha's shoes while simultaneously illustrating how much more important the emotional connection is than the physical one. It may sound like hyper-bole but for me Spike Jonze's Her is a life-affirming type of film that captures humanities yearning for affection and companionship while simultaneously shouting to the rooftops: Do what makes you happy and screw everyone else. 9/10
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AuthorLove of all things cinema brought me here. Archives
June 2023
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