Denise Morris and Frann Michel review Spike Jonze new (quasi science fiction) romantic comedy "Her". Joaquin Phoenix plays Theodore, an introverted man who goes through a divorce with his child-hood sweetheart, only to fall curiously in love with his new, hyperintelligent operating system, dubbed "Samantha", that is voiced by Scarlett Johansenn. Samantha isn't the only one of her kind either. The story moves beyond Theodore and Samantha to include other operating systems in love affairs with other people, and eventually goals of self-actualization on the part of the operating systems beyond these limited connections.
Frann and Denise basically like this film. They consider the way that it plays with the conventions of romantic comedies, satirizing relationship scripts; how the operating systems are really not that far-fetched of an idea given our technological development, making the story more vivid; and how the film encourages reflection on the yearning for connection. They also note how other very salient topics related to personal data and corporate surveillance, or material circumstances that usually at least lay in the background of emotional suffering, are completely absent. Over all, Frann says, it's kind of a warm cuddly rise of the machines.
- KBOO