REVIEW: Joaquin Phoenix & Scarlett Johansson Are Captivating in Spike Jonze’s HER

Her-poster

HER, another Spike Jonze masterpiece, features an all-star cast consisting of Joaquin Phoenix, Scarlett Johansson, Amy Adams, Olivia Wilde, Rooney Mara, and Chris Pratt to name a few. It’s character complexity provides these stars with material to showcase their acting ability. The synopsis of HER is simple. The film follows the story of Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix) at a turning point in his life. In a future that isn’t too far from ours, Theodore buys an operating system that can satiates more than just his intellect (if ya know what I mean).

The most striking and transcendent idea behind the story of HER is the impending reality of the situations it presents. The future, often depicted as hover crafts and a technology-saturated society, is presented in a way that is dominated by the machine, or rather the OS (Operating System). People are shown wearing a single earpiece that is reminiscent of the ear buds Apple made famous. Instead of typing commands on a keyboard or via a touch screen, these OSs respond to voice commands. In this ‘future,’ it has become socially acceptable to literally talk to yourself (well to an OS, but let’s be serious, you are talking to yourself). The premise of the film suggests that these OSs can develop relationships with its owners and can essentially feel using the vibrancy of words and inflection.

Scarlett Johansson and Joaquin Phoenix are our focus in this sci-fi love story about human-OS love. Although we do not see Scarlett in HER, her voice is not only recognizable but mesmerizing and prevalent in nearly every scene. She brings life to Samantha, the OS that has captured the heart of Theodore. Joaquin, the male counterpart to this unordinary love story, embodies the multidimensional character of Theodore by revealing the truths to why we love and the intangibility of it. Their performances are truthful and gut wrenching. You feel what they feel. You become submersed into what could be our near future; a modern, unconventional story built on the truths and trajectory of where we seem to be headed.

Filmed in both Los Angeles and Tokyo, HER unveils a future that is strikingly familiar with inconsistencies only a true Angeleno would be able to point out. Switching from cityscape to cityscape is distracting and incongruent – one minute you see retail signs in the background of the shot with Japanese writing juxtaposed with a fast cut to the Los Angeles skyline.

Another strikingly uncomfortable scene which I feel I must warn you about is the sex scene between Samantha and Theodore .. if that’s what you want to call it. Luckily Spike Jonze does not blatantly reveal the reality of the masturbation; he remains sensitive and focuses on the innocence of Samantha and their expression of love. With that being said, however, the audience is treated to a bit of phone sex, if you will, paired with the visual of Theodore demonstrating the receiving end of the eroticism.

Would I recommend seeing this movie when it hits theaters early next year? Yes. I believe we all have something to learn from this film, especially as we become more and more digitized. Spike Jonze teaches us that nothing can replace the feeling we get from human-to-human interaction, and that the moment we do start replacing it, our feelings of loneliness will only haunt us and cloud our decision-making.

Mark your calendars! HER hits theaters nationwide on January 10, 2014!

Author: Melissa Frost

A recent college graduate from The University of Texas at Austin. Interests include but are not limited to ... film, fashion, and music. Currently working as a social media coordinator at a digital entertainment industry agency. On the weekends, works as a PA for some high-profile productions. You can follow me on Twitter and Instagram!