Directed by:
Spike JonzeScreenplay:
Spike JonzeCinematography:
Hoyte van HoytemaCast:
Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Scarlett Johansson, Rooney Mara, Olivia Wilde, Chris Pratt, Matt Letscher, Portia Doubleday, Sam Jaeger, Katherine Boecher (more)VOD (4)
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Spike Jonze directs this award-winning drama following Theodore Twombly (Joaquin Phoenix), a lonely writer who falls in love with a sentient operating system. Newly separated from his wife Catherine (Rooney Mara), Theodore works for a company that composes love letters for those who lack the creativity to pen their own. Growing more and more isolated from the outside world, his curiosity is piqued by a campaign advertising the latest artificially intelligent operating system. When he is first introduced to his new technological assistant Samantha (voice of Scarlett Johansson) he is surprised by her ever-growing emotionality and fresh way of looking at the world. As time passes, Theodore finds himself connecting with Samantha in ways he could never have imagined. (Entertainment in Video)
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Reviews (12)
Spike Jonze's film was preceded by a reputation as a cultured romantic spectacle with refined acting performances, artistic visuals, and a sophisticated aesthetic. In short, it was one of the hot candidates for the Oscars. The praise was not lying. If the film were a date, then She has a fine appearance, a meeting with her will definitely not offend anyone, and it is a date on a level where you don't feel like wasting your time with someone mediocre. But unfortunately, a connection with her didn't develop for me. I have no problem with the casting, as Joaquin Phoenix is an excellent actor and delivers exactly what is expected of him. He gives his character a sadly melancholic and even tragic dimension, and his loneliness gradually starts to hurt you physically. I also have no problem with the filmmaking in any way. What I do have a problem with, however, is the genre direction, as well as the way the characters are portrayed and the lack of identification with them. I also have difficulty with how the screenwriter works with the material. This theme directly invites a comedic approach, and in the first few minutes, it seemed to be heading that way and I was enjoying it. But as soon as it turned into a study of human loneliness and emotional dissatisfaction, I started to distance myself from the film. This is especially true when the director presents his protagonist as a victim and someone I should sympathize with. So, who is the victim then? Technology? It is just a tool that can be used well or poorly. If you look into a contemporary restaurant, you will see several couples who show much more interest in their mobile phones than in each other. But those phones are not to blame for their inability to communicate. Computers can save time and perform a huge amount of work, or you can mindlessly waste a lot of time with them. Online discussions can serve as excellent platforms for exchanging opinions and information, but also for empty talk and trolling. If Theodore is someone's victim, then he is a victim of his own nature and actions. I see a man prone to depression who refuses to admit his illness and wallows in his own self. I see a blind man who overlooks the values that are right in front of him. I see a fool who prefers a substitute where he can - and he really can - have a full-fledged relationship. There are very few film characters that I dislike as much as Theodore, and during the final scene on the rooftop of a high-rise building, when the protagonists are about to escape from themselves, I had the strong urge to kick those two cowards down myself. As for love for a computer program, in our world, there are countless substitutes and replacements for a romantic relationship. You can travel, immerse yourself in your work like a workaholic, or dedicate your feelings to fish in an aquarium. A computer program, if cleverly set up, could become a highly seductive and efficient substitute for love, but it will always be a one-sided affair. I grew up on the works of Stanislaw Lem, and they are marked by a deep skepticism toward the possibility of understanding between different civilizations, cultural circles, or even animal species. It is absurd to assume that if I cannot understand, accept, and love other members of the same species, I will gain and maintain a love for artificial intelligence based on completely different values and perceptions. Such a program would cease to fulfill its function precisely at the moment when the term artificial intelligence is fulfilled and it surpasses the barrier imposed by the program. By the way, this development would be much faster than Spike assumes. Overall impression: 45%.
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Melancholy laden with mesmerizing visuals for those who occasionally crave sentimental dramas and independent small stories, and are not afraid to venture into a future where a seductive voice will take the lead. There are plenty of life planes, parallels, and references sketched out, but none will try to impose themselves on you, which is a very positive thing. Excellently acted, technically flawless, a very sad and occasionally depressing film that describes the problems of our time with great skill. Too bad about the occasional dull passages and the overly dragging pace. It wasn't as personal as I expected.
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Hi, I’m Spike and I generate films just for you! - Oh! That’s great, let’s see what you can do. - Well, first, what genre would you like? - Hey, I quite fancy some sci-fi. But a smart one, no madness with robots or anything like that. A pinch of social satire and… - OK, I’m writing it down. What about romance? Humour? Would that be fine? - Yeah, I guess, but only a little, so it would be a bit sad and melancholic, rather than cloying, get it? And the humour, just a bit to spice things up. - Sure, we’ll go easy on it. And what about the actor for the leading role? You have any special requirements? - How about someone renowned but not a big celebrity? Maybe Philip Seymour Hoffman? - Sorry, mate, he’s dead. And Joaquin Phoenix? - Yeah, no worries. - And in what era would you like it to take place? A slightly altered present or a far, post-apocalyptic… - If possible, maybe somewhere in the near future. So it would be very similar to now, but also with some different and original details. I’d love that. So I could imagine that things will be like that in a few years, but I wouldn’t be too happy about it. - So the tone would be rather depressing? - Well…. not that, no. I don’t want any cheap happy ending, but it doesn’t need to be a heavy downer, either. Something half-way. Don’t make it too happy, but leave the characters with some hope. - Well, I think I already have it. It will be called Her. Have fun.
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It was with this movie that I started catching up with last year’s movies before Oscar night. Her attracted me with the premise and mainly with the actor. Joaquin Phoenix is an incredible actor. But what can you do when he often chooses pretty strange characters that are hard to figure out? And he delivers a pretty precise performance every single time. To such extent that you actually don’t know what to think about him as a person because with every film you get a different opinion of him. Once he drives you mad, another time you don’t understand why he acts the way he does and the next time you really understand him. But that’s actually not easy because I think that Joaquin tries to act in a way that will make nobody have understanding for him. All his characters are so specific that it’s really hard to find yourself in them in any way. Her represents a pretty strange view of the world that could come about if we are fully consumed by computer systems. Not in a bad way like in I, Robot. This is more a matter of psychology. Joaquin did a terrific job, but Spike Jonze made the movie the same way he makes all his movies – his way. I had a hard time looking for understanding in the movie but it hasn’t ceased to amaze me since I saw it.
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Black Mirror presents a chattily heartfelt, melancholic and, due to its topic, also pretty chilly feature length special When Teddy met Siri which fits nicely between episodes The Entire History of You and Be Right Back in terms of topic and approach. In any case it must be sci-fi, mainly because a guy that looks like Groucho Marx is courted by (true, in different forms) Scarlett Johansson, Amy Adams, Rooney Mara, Olivia Wilde and Kristen Wiig. And then also because of the worry design of men’s pants of the future; whoa… For my own sake I hope that this aspect of Spike’s vision doesn’t come true.
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