Her (2013): Love Is Strange

Her is a strange and interesting movie, directed by Spike Jonze (Being John Malkovich [1999], Adaptation [2002], Where The Wild Things Are [2009]), It stars Joaquin Phoenix, who, with his wide, heavy brow and tight lips, is known generally for dark, brooding character portrayals (the evil Commodus in Gladiator [2000], a drug-addled Johnny Cash in Walk The Line [2005], emotionally volatile, psychologically damaged Freddie Quell in The Master [2012]). But here in Her, he plays a mild-mannered, sensitive, lost soul named Theodore (never Ted or Theo), wallowing in the aftermath of a marital breakup, and struggling to connect.

 Jonze has tended toward the humorously quirky as a filmmaker (he’s also a director of music videos and an entrepreneur). Her, a quietly philosophical , romantic comedy about the near future, feels similarly peculiar and offbeat. As in Malkovich, there’s a sci-fi angle, but in Her, it’s subtler, and seems more plausible.

Theodore, you see, is one of the early adopters of a revolutionary new operating system, advertised as a “new consciousness”, which takes on the aspects of personal valet, organizer, databank, messenger, and, as it turns out, friend and confidant. It does everything a futuristic operating system should do, and then some. Theodore’s OS calls itself/herself Samantha. The closest analog to Samantha that I can think of is Jane, the artificial intelligence character in Orson Scott Card’s Ender series. Or, from our real-life world, imagine a super-powerful, pro-active Siri, with fully developed colloquial language skills, and with a real, sentient personality. Oh, and she sounds just like a seductive Scarlett Johansson!

Theodore is lonely. Samantha is flirty, as well as being extremely competent. She seems to be lonely as well. Theirs becomes more than a man – machine relationship. What makes Her so interesting is how the story of this budding relationship is cogently and artfully developed. And the questions that it poses.

What, exactly, comprises a meaningful relationship or, more precisely, a romantic one? Can one have a “real” romance with a person you’ve never met (or touched) in the flesh, an online soul mate, for example? If one forms what feels like a close intellectual and emotional bond with someone, exclusively by letters, emails, online chat, telephone, Skype, Google Talk, or whatever – is such a relationship inferior to the “real” face-to-face kind? Why? How? Is sex is essential to a “real” romantic relationship?and if so, can phone sex (aural sex) qualify? [For related reflections regarding the importance of physical intimacy, see my review of The Sessions (2012)].

Phoenix has to carry this picture on his shoulders, and he does so pretty effectively. He is aided by fine supporting performances by Amy Adams, as his oldest friend – with some relationship issues of her own; Rooney Mara, as Theodore’s soon-to-be Ex; Olivia Wilde, as a very hot, but neurotic blind date; and especially Johansson – who may just be the first person to get a nomination for best supporting actress for her voice alone (ahh, but what a voice).

Phoenix is also aided by Spike Jonze' terrific screenplay. The interplay between "Samantha" and Theodore - entirely verbal - works because it is so natural, and intelligent. Through the course of the movie,  Samantha develops a consciousness, and she marvels at it, and both characters embrace it. This could be silly or clumsy, but it's not.

Even with all this help, Phoenix (and Jonze) had challenges to overcome: a milquetoast character, a leisurely paced, mostly interior story, a generally placid futuristic setting where pretty much everyone is nice, and men’s fashion has taken a horrible downward turn – stupid 1980’s mustaches, pants worn waist high, geeky materials. Lord, help us if that happens for real!

Still, the movie works. It’s engaging, drolly funny, and ultimately, provocative. The art direction is quite imaginative, with interesting color schemes and bright modern interiors,  that hold our interest, and often contrast ironically with Theodore's inner mood.

I think Her is worth a visit.

In general release.