Her

A virtual romance that to a certain extent adheres to the formula of its more traditional genre kin (boy meets girl, boy loses girl...), but because of the physical absence of a female partner and other vacant places in the space of the picture, it gives off a strange feeling of loneliness throughout its runtime. Joaquin Phoenix has to perform most of the boldly long shots on his own. In fact, he does the acting of two, as there is no visible reaction to his action. That which is essential happens either within the protagonist or off screen – in the soundtrack, which Theo also controls to a significant extent. For example, he chooses the (melancholic) soundtrack for his own life, by means of which the film not only thematises the manipulation of others’ lives (Sam becomes the new director of Theo’s existence), but also acknowledges his manipulative practices and thus deliberately diminishes their effectiveness. ___ The sluggish narrative pace and the emotional restraint at the level of formalistic techniques correspond to the strongly subjectivised (in terms of both image and sound) narrative. In various ways, the film itself is as shy as Theo, who also seems cut off from the outside world due his being situated in otherwise empty shots. Instead of the aforementioned absent partner, there is an interactive mise-en-scene that illustrates the protagonist’s mood and comments on the situations in which he finds himself. But the shyness shared by Theo and the film as a whole does not fit well with the film’s occasional lapses into vulgarity (erotic chatting, Samantha’s anal humour). However, we can perceive the overstepping of the boundaries of tastefulness as a means of pointing out the acceptance with which we allow virtual worlds to penetrate our intimate space (with similar acceptance, Theo tells the computer about his relationship with his mother). ___ With slight generalisation, it could be said that the desire to change something while not giving up one’s comfort is a paradox inherent not only in Theodore, who is afraid to step into the unknown and permanently cut off (real) contact with his former girlfriend, but also in the whole world today. Everything is outwardly perfect and cosy (which is aided in the film by the soothing pastel colours). We live in a state of comfort that was definitely never the standard before, but at the same time, we are often lonely, isolated and rarely truly happy, because we are always in search of the most convenient solutions (because the software that we buy will logically oblige us in everything). Surface perfection conceals inner emptiness. Substitutes for real people, real feelings and real actions simplify life to such an extent that we lose contact with it. Others express emotions for us by means of letters composed without the necessity of touching the keyboard (let alone using a “manual” writing implement). ___ However, Jonze is not a sceptic who would resolutely reject modern technology. He doesn’t completely condemn the possibility of a contactless relationship – for example, Theo’s dialogue with Amy seems just as unforced as his conversations with Sam – but only points out the drawbacks of choosing to live without touch. Whether that involves the visual absence of a partner in our memories or the loss of the “aura” of a beloved and still certainly original object. Fortunately, there are no appropriate alternatives to certain pleasant realities, even in a world of perfect replacements and substitutes. For now… 80% (01/04/2014) (less) (more)