Her
2013
***
Director: Spike Jonze
Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Rooney Mara, Olivia Wilde, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Pratt, Matt Latscher
Spike Jonze's fourth film offers another clever and fantastical premise, which doesn't veer too far from his two collaborations with Charlie Kaufman, Being John Malkovich and Adaptation. Joaquin Phoenix plays Theodore Twombly, who ghost writes personal letters for other people but is poor at articulating his own emotions. Theodore is about to divorce his wife when he purchases a new voiced operating system, named Samantha. Samantha starts as his personal assistant, but gradually becomes his advisor, friend, and lover. Is this a commentary on modern people, who prefer capturing precious moments to experiencing them, and who love their gadgets more than they love their fellow human beings? These questions become somewhat irrelevant when the OS has more personality than the hero of the story. This drama comedy offers an interesting concept and strong performances, but it doesn't exactly engage the heart or the mind. The stylishly futuristic Los Angeles was created by shooting some parts in Shanghai. Jonze won an Academy Award for his screenplay.
