Her world has become way bigger than him. They still love each other, but Samantha has grown so far and so fast that she's outgrown Theo. The same happened with Theo and Samantha in the end. But by that point in the film we've become more accepting of their love.Ĭatherine and Theo were in love but they then grew apart, as did Amy and Charles. But his true friends in the film, Amy and Paul (Chris Pratt's character), were totally supportive and not weirded out by him "dating" an AI.Ĭatherine reacts to the news that he's dating an AI the same way I did earlier, with revulsion and disgust. My reaction when he first called her his girlfriend was to cringe, as I'm sure it was for most of the audience. That certainly is a huge theme of the film. I don't necessarily think its about nothing being able to replace human connection. There's so much to unpack and it has so many layers.
#Her spike jonze movie#
Jonze would probably snicker, satisfied that he had created a movie about much more than just a man and his computer.I just finished watching it for the first time. When the credits rolled, I was happy to see some fellow journalists with wet eyes and dumbfounded faces. Jonze encourages us to go to that insane place, the Arcade Fire score and production design by K.K. What is ethos? How do we recover from romantic calamity? What are we all seeking and is it crazy to find it in an unlikely partner? As Amy describes it eloquently, that love is the social acceptance of insanity. These humorous moments balance so perfectly with the deep longing and heartbreak that fills in the rest of the movie. I might add that this is perhaps the most hilarious part of the movie. Theodore even plays a video game where a little marshmallow man can be maneuvered with a laugh or a quip. Jonze has created a whole new world around his characters as well, transporting them to a place in the future where the hues of color are skewed and men wear high waist pants like the 1940s. At times it seems wonderfully touchable and others incredibly impossible. Jonze allows the audience to buckle up right next to Theodore and ride out the strange love affair.
It’s charming and all, but Theodore soon questions dating a person who doesn’t actually exist. She begs to differ, constantly discussing her excitement with life and discovering new ways to make her feel human. The two bond over how ridiculous it sounds to find a friend in an OS, let alone Theodore finding a girlfriend! But Amy deflects anyone’s negative opinions she’s purely seeking joy.Īs in all love stories, things do get complicated. She’s also just separated from her husband and has found solace in an OS. But Theodore finds human companionship in his neighbor Amy (Amy Adams). He becomes infatuated with Samantha and she with him. Theodore is quick to appreciate her efficiency and soon enough, begins to fall for her. The silky, witty and raspy voice of Scarlett Johansson is all that humanizes the OS. The computer caters towards his every need, personally, financially, economically and eventually emotionally. Things change when Theodore buys a new Operating System. It doesn’t help that Theodore is a love letter writer, constantly being reminded of what he had and lost. His soon to be ex-wife Catherine, played by an always-poignant Rooney Mara, has yet to sign the divorce papers. He’s amidst a nasty divorce, recovering from the experience of loving bliss crumbling into plaguing memories. Joaquin Phoenix is endearing and hilarious as Theodore. The computer is an intangible essence essentially, which Jonze encourages us to define. By allowing a love affair to exist between a man and his computer, the audience can superimpose their own romantic ideas onto the relationship. The Q&A was a metaphor for the film as a whole. For the next few minutes, Jonze took the opportunity to let his viewers express their interpretations, instead of revealing the ones he had himself. Jonze was more interested in hearing what the inquirer thought. When an audience member asked about the message he was sending with his movie, he flipped the question.
When Spike Jonze took the stage afterwards for a Q&A, what happened was intriguing. A melting pot of older patrons, young filmmakers and Hampton locals, the film had the challenge of connecting with them all. The director’s fourth feature screened at the Hamptons International Film Festival this past week to an interesting audience. Spike Jonze taps into this with spectacular clarity and elegance in Her.
Whatever form it may take, whatever satisfaction it seeks, it’s undeniable. There’s an ethos, a universal longing, within us all.
0 kommentar(er)
