I've never liked futuristic movies because most of them are not realistic; but Her is one that could disturbingly be real in the very near future! I went and saw it because so many film critics and talk show hosts loved it - the movie was nominated for three Golden Globes (and would probably win at least one tonight) and won 37 international awards including the Best Screenplay for the 2014 Toronto Film Critics Association Awards.
Upon seeing the movie, you'll marvel first at the brilliant and clever original screenplay; then the outstanding acting by Joaquin Phoenix; followed by the beautiful cinematography by Hoyte Van Hoytema (The Fighter and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) and the direction of Spike Jonze.
By now, everybody who is curious about movies must know that Her is a science fiction about a writer who falls in love with his 'female' operating system produced by artificial intelligence. My first reaction to the trailer was that it's a stupid concept - particularly when you saw the lead actor Joaquin Phoenix interacting with a computer! But, lo and behold, it's actually quite believable and very clever.
It took Jonze only five months to write his first draft of the story, but he never doubted that Phoenix would be his first choice as playing Theodore, the lonely writer who writes love letters for other people. After all, which male actor of our times could convincingly act for the majority of time on screen talking to himself? Well, or talking to a fake person who's also his OS? And besides being credible, Phoenix is adoringly sad and sweet at the same time.
While shooting the movie, the OS voice was played by British actress Samantha Morton who was on the set in a secluded box communicating with Phoenix without actually seeing each other. But after the movie was shot, both the director and Morton agreed that she's not the right voice. So Scarlett Johansson was brought in as the new Samantha and her voice was primarily recorded in the post-production studio with Phoenix being present with her as well. But what a great choice! Johansson gave a sexy, empathetic, witty and jealous performance of Samantha without the distraction of her physical attraction.
I always feel that Amy Adams is probably one of the most underestimated actresses of Hollywood. In American Hustle, for instance, Adams should be given all the acting compliments instead of the Hollywood 'it' girl Jennifer Lawrence. In this movie, Adams played Amy, the wonderful neighbour and platonic friend of Theodore's, with minimal make-up and full Silicon-Valley personality and appearance. Olivia Wilde also shed her usual heavy cosmetics to play the pretty, brainy but neurotic blind date of Theodore's.
The movie was made, for the most part, in Los Angeles, with two weeks of filming in Shanghai as the futuristic city. But what I love about the film is that it's extremely funny and sad at the same time. It's ridiculous that human beings have been reduced to a state that is incapable of having any healthy relationships with another person. Instead, we find comfort in falling in love with an invisible OS who becomes our personal assistant, our advisor in relationships, and our love object as well. But judging from how everybody is so addicted to technology nowadays, it's not hard to imagine that we might all become Theodore's and Amy's in the very near future.
Even though you expect Her to be witty, there are so many more clever moments that surprise you. The extremely funny video games such as the scoring of the Mommy points and the SexyKitten voice played by Kristen Whig are just two examples. It's a movie that bewilders you and yet depresses you at the same time. Maybe it's time to take some down time from our smartphones, our tablets and other electronic devices, and focus on our relationships with our loved ones instead?
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