Her
Soulmate
The film industry seems to be the real application of Lavoisier’s theory of “nothing is created, nothing is lost, everything changes”. So, it’s always a pleasant surprise to find a movie like “Her” (USA, 2013), showing that it is still possible to find something different and original in the cinema. After all, how can anyone mix science fiction, drama, romance and sociological speculation in the same movie – and do something very interesting?
Unlike most science fiction films where special effects fill viewers’ eyes, the environment in “Her” doesn’t seem to be much different from any modern metropolis in today’s world. Unless it’s the fact that everything is clean, impersonal, without apparent poverty.
In this indeterminate future, the most striking trait – besides impersonality – is that everything is hyperconnected. Users interact with computers anywhere, at work, on the subway, on the beach, or at home, regardless of personal, home, or professional environment. The most familiar object is something like a mobile phone that serves as a personal interface with the system, although all communication is made by voice.
Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix) is a typical figure of this world, a lonely man who comes from a recent and still poorly digested separation with Catherine (Rooney Mara), who has known him since childhood, but who preferred to exchange marriage for academic career. Theodore makes a living writing letters to third parties, dictating them to the computer, which prints them in cursive letters and sends them to recipients. Ironically, the company has a name like “handwritten letters.”
Feeling increasingly lonely, Theodore has as his only friends his neighbor Amy (Amy Adams), a video game designer, and the company’s receptionist, Paul (Chris Pratt), who is a big fan of the letters he writes.
One day, he is attracted by the announcement of a personal operating system, based on artificial intelligence. With a few disconnected questions the system is set up, and a beautiful female voice (Scarlett Johansson) begins to interact with Theodore. The first proof of the operating system’s capability is when he asks if she has a name. She says yes, Samantha. When he asks how she had chosen it, she says that in a few milliseconds she had read a book with thousands of options, and preferred that one.
If at first Samantha was for him just an overdeveloped system, gradually she helps him organizing his files, makes contact with a publisher to publish his letters, arranges a date with a girl (Olivia Wilde), and even has sex with him – virtual, of course.
Before long he realizes that he is dating Samantha, and even introduces her to other people as his girlfriend. Maybe because they already live in such a connected world, no one finds it strange, and even take couples’ walks. The strangest question is not that a man falls in love with a computer program. The question is, can the reverse also happen?
The most interesting thing about “Her” is not only the amorphous relationship between a man and a program, but as it is shown in a consistently believable way. The relationship between them was basically one of conversations. It is certain that among humans, relationships always start physically, but only last if there is a harmony of thoughts. There’s even that little joke that says you have to choose a partner with who you like to talk to – because one day, this will be the only that left to do…
In addition to having an interesting story, “Her” develops thanks to a good cast, well directed by Spike Jonze, although the great scenic charge falls on Joaquin Phoenix, who wears a thick mustache and heavy glasses, which give him the appearance of Mr. Potato from “Toy Story”. The other half of the credit falls on Scarlett Johansson, whose beautiful voice brings great credibility to the immaterial Samantha. In fact, never watch this movie in dubbed version, because it will lose all the essence.
In a supporting role, but importantly, Amy Adams also contributes to the construction of the embittered and impersonal environment of the world portrayed in the film. Amy achieved the feat of being in two Oscar-nominated films on the same year, this one and “American Hustle”. “Her” deservedly won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, and was nominated for four more categories, including Best Picture. In all there were 83 awards and 186 nominations in several awards.
The end of the film is a bit ambiguous – by Hollywood standards – but it will certainly inspire lengthy discussions about its meaning, especially at a bar table.
Although not being a traditional movie, with action scenes and special effects, “Her” brings a different flavor from the common place of Hollywood, and I believe that viewers will see many parallels with the little world in which we live.
“Her” can be watched on the Amazon Prime Video streaming service.