HER
R
126 Minutes
Director: Spike Jonze
Writer: Spike Jonze
Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Scarlett Johansson
Artist's Imagined Conception Of SamanthaCAST
Joaquin Phoenix…Theodore Twombly
Amy Adams…Amy
Scarlett Johansson…Samantha
Oh, wont you keep me warm tonight
You are such a sweet delight
I would cherish the memory of this night
Yes, I found my computer love
COMPUTER LOVE, Zapp and Roger
It’s tough to repair the damage from I’M STILL HERE. I thought the movie was entertaining, but a lot of other people didn’t. Now Joaquin Phoenix is attempting a full, Jim Carrey- CABLE-GUY-resurrection. I don’t know if this excellent, pseudo-indie movie will do it. But it’s a good place to start.
This Theodore character is nerdy and socially awkward. I never thought Joaquin could pass off as a dork. But he’s a regular Rick Moranis here. Only when he’s wearing glasses though. Like the sexy librarian cliché.
Set in the near future HER is about a tortured writer who can’t find love .That is until he updated his computer software. As the story progresses, he begins to fall madly in love with this OS named Samantha. But Samantha is more than just a voice emanating from a cell phone. She’s like an ideal human without any physical presence. Only existing in a digital world. This all reminds me of the KING OF THE HILL episode where Bobby makes out with his girlfriend, a mannequin head.
Later in the movie, Theodore gets jealous, when Samantha meets the digital version of Alan Watts. Typical Buddhist philosopher, mackin’ on his girl. That ain’t right. Just like my grandpa says, if you’re going to cheat, make a digital copy of yourself for the cheated person to love.
I hate to spoil the end; but it’s later revealed that there is no OS. He’s a paranoid schizophrenic.
I get where this guy is coming from. There’s this girl I talk to, Amy. My assistant. She has an adorable, British accent. Amy sets my alarm clock correctly, asks how I’m doing, and she doesn’t make me pay child support.
‘Sometimes I write something , and I’ll be my favorite writer that day.’- Michael Bay…I mean Theodore Twombly
I don’t know if this dating an OS thing is in our future. But I think robot lovers will eventually exist. The next issue that conservatives will tackle is human-robot marriage. And if marriage isn’t possible, does having sex with a robot constitute cheating?
An original film like this doesn’t come around very often. HER feels Charlie Kauffman-esque. So you definitely should see this; a man’s career hinges on its success.
Final Verdict: 95 out of 100