Movie review: ‘Her' is a smart portrait about love
"Her" is a complicated movie with a simple assertion: Love is a battlefield. It's an old notion, for sure, but one writer/director Spike Jonze ("Being John Malkovich") dusts off and shines up with a fresh coat of paint. It's set in not-too-distant-future Los Angeles, with Joaquin Phoenix playing an impending divorcee stuck in a holding pattern. That changes when his Theodore strikes up a relationship with Samantha, the Siri-like voice emanating from his computer's operating system. She's voiced unseen by Scarlett Johansson at her sexiest, thus reinforcing the notion that true eroticism dwells in the imagination.
"Her" may be high in concept, but eventually it shifts into a profound exploration of modern love and how technology is serendipitously blocking us from real human connection. Jonze smartly accomplishes this through Theodore, a melancholic man who has never been able to express - or expose - himself. Yet he's employed at a website where he crafts beautiful, handwritten love letters for clients. He excels, because there is no emotional investment on his part. With real people, Theodore fumbles, as he does on a blind date with the gorgeous Olivia Wilde.
Phoenix delivers a touching, intimate performance, even though he spends most of his screen time alone talking to a disembodied voice. Samantha provides comfort, laughs and on-demand companionship. What more could a guy want? Theodore's life improves immediately. Initially, Samantha cleans up his hard drive, sorts email and keeps schedule. As the relationship progresses, Theodore is dressing in brighter colors, laughing and taking Samantha on dates. At first, he looks odd, talking into a handheld device, but soon, he's not the only one dining alone and talking to a mini-machine. As happens in all relationships, Samantha and Theodore hit a snag. There's jealousy, crabbiness, hurtful remarks. And so, Theodore turns to his best friend, Amy (Amy Adams, terrific as usual), for support. Her simple question, "Is it not a real relationship?" freezes you in your tracks. For her part, Johansson's expressive voice adds heart and humanity to Samantha, who despite being a computer, is rife with desire, drive and, yes, dreams. One of which is to consummate her relationship with Theodore. Sans Jonze's deft touch, the ensuing scenes of intimacy would be downright creepy. Instead, he steers it into something meaningful by inspiring you to think about how desperate we are for love. It can feel a bit schmaltzy at times, but you can forgive that because there's so much originality - and a lot of laughs. Jonze begins at the intersection of humanity and technology, and takes you on a journey that resonates on many levels, particularly the selfishness inherent in human nature. It asks us to think about what it's like to be alive. It shows how petty stuff can doom a relationship. It shows how invigorating - and devastating - love can be. It shows how much we crave connection. It's about what you want it to be about, because at the end of the day, no matter if the "person" is real or fake, we all have our issues. HER Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Scarlett Johansson R for language, sexual content and brief graphic nudity Grade: A