Her, directed by Spike Jontze -- I adore the cast in the film but also the director for his rather unique concepts and approaches to filmmaking like with Being John Malkovich & now a romantic comedy mixed with a bit of sci-fi, discussing the effects of social media, instant messaging & being constant connected. No matter how much most of us hate the idea of always being online on our gaming devices, or the idea of cyborg augmentations, it doesn't change the fact that we are always wearing spectacles, wristwatches or IPhones. We are in the Information Age. Her then examines one man’s relationship with an 'electronic device', that is to say -- Artificial Intelligence in form of a Computer Operating system, which travels with you everywhere. Far from being a cautionary tale, it highlights how technology itself can not only fulfill our emotional needs, but also clarify our relationships with the people it’s meant to connect us with. It feels a bit ludicrous, from my point of view, how most characters in the movie are very accepting or forward about the idea of dating a tin-can. But it's not necessarily something we won't see for ourselves in the nearest future.
Our man of the hour Theodore, played by Joanquin Phoenix, decides to buy himself an Operating System named Samantha, who sees to his every day working schedule. What makes the movie particularly sci-fi is the emphasis placed on Samantha's growth as a person despite her being a faceless machine. This kinda growth will obviously plant new ideas in her programming, which puts her world into new perspectives. As she explores the world through the eyes of Theodore, her evolvement starts to grow beyond the common sensory experiences of her human counterpart, and she begins contemplating deeper philosophical ideas. She yearns after the same sort of emotional gratification as that of the kind she provided for Theodore -- This causes Theodore to worry as it opens up the possibility of Samantha leaving him behind, so she can further develop her knowledge of human nature. Although, while the movie is incidentally sci-fi, it stretches its point from a larger point of view, as it explores the factors behind the common relationship. How do we draw a line of which relationships are most important to us? It comments on the concept of Online dating, and in some ways BioWare fans could probably relate to it, right? As has been established; The movie makes the argument that any online relationship can be meaningful, even when it stays online. The commitment doesn't have to falter even without physical consummation -- Her defines it as not only but socially acceptable, as I established earlier the characters are very forthcoming to the whole concept. This allows us to understand the narrative, and makes the relationship feel all the more believable, as the actors do their utmost best to make every interaction as sharply convincing as one would be able to.
I sincerely hope that Spike Jonze and the cast get recognized for this picture because it's quite unique and thus also a very welcome surprise within the whole romantic-comedy genre-film. I recommend it very much.