To some my praise for this film may sound as odd as a mans love for an operating system. For others, it may sound eerily similar to the way they felt about this Spike Jonze (Being John Malkovich) film. That is not to say that my feeling are fact, and any others are immediately negated. All film is subjective, and the main romance between Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix) and an operating system (voiced by Scarlett Johansson) will garner diverse opinions amongst moviegoers. For me however, Her is a touching and unique romance film, one that is confident and dedicated to its bizarre story. So dedicated that by the end of the film, your views on love may change all together.
From a film making standpoint, Her is well crafted and paced story. While Spike Jonze is known for being a little out their, he always stands by his the story. I felt that Jonze believed in this bizarre love story, even when its unconventional for many. This and the strong performances by the cast make for a movie that is truly enjoyable to watch. Yes, there is two awkward scenes that many people will wish didn't make the final cut, but both scenes hold meaning to the overarching theme. Phoenix's turn as Theodore is subtle and normal, which is high praise for an actor who has made his name playing psychopaths. He makes Theodore feel like a normal person who is struggling with relatable issues every day. Scarlett Johansson may turn in the best performance of her career using nothing but her voice, which is by no means an insult. Her soothing tone and infections laugh makes Samantha (The IOS operating system) seem like a worth candidate for Theodore to fall in love with.
While it's outer shell reveals a film that deals with societies love and need for technology, I believe that is the conventional way of perceiving the story. An unconventional story needs unconventional thinking. What affected me was the way in which love was presented throughout the film. I left the theater believing that love is possible in many forms. Love isn't necessarily a physical connection, It stems from the mental, emotional and unknown parts of our self. While you can't explain exactly how you are feeling, you don't need to. At no point did I feel Theodore had to explain why he was in love with Samantha, nor did I want him to. When asked, Theodore stumbles upon his words, saying things like "I don't know, everything". Which is exactly how I feel love is. Love is between those two, and for me to disagree or deny that from them wouldn't feel right. I felt it in the way Theodore talked to Samantha and vice versa, they had something there that was more than just programming. Which can be attested to a good script and good performances. I was glad to see some of the characters accepting of the situation, because they knew how great it felt to have someone, and they wanted their friend Theodore to feel the same. It was genius the way the film gave an opportunity for you to see every possible viewpoint on the situation. You had people accepting of the idea, others against it and some indifferent. unfortunately, this is what makes Her a work of fiction and in some ways fantasy. The idea of a man in love with an operating system wouldn't be accepted in the world we live in. Even if it would result in undeniable happiness for the human party in the relationship. While the dialogue of the film never force fed this information to me (thankfully), It's what I took out of this particular movie. Even if to some I am way off base, like love it doesn't matter it is the way I feel.
Along with that you are given the question of is Samantha's love real, being a program that evolves and is manufactured to get along perfectly with Theodore. Even when Samantha begins to evolve past her programming, is the emotions that Samantha can't explain a love that resonates within the real world? I believe it does and Spike Jonze makes me believe that. It was a wonderful film, and my favorite movie of 2013.
Verdict 5 out of 5
No comments:
Post a Comment