Her: An Unconventional Love Story

How do I begin to describe Her? The first word that pops in my head is 'beautiful'. It is aesthetically pleasing to look at, with its contrasting levels of darkness and sci-fi qualities of lights and cities. The characters are all brilliantly written.. they are well-developed, and all envelop a flaw that makes humanity what it is, yet in that respect - are also wonderfully relateable. But most importantly, Her is so beautiful because of its ability to touch on the significance of human interaction and relationships. Jonze's innovative vision infuses passion and creativity; he twists the notion of a romantic comedy - setting his film in the future - introducing the relationship between Theodore, and his operating system - Samantha.

I can't think of another time where this film would be better appropriate to be made/screened to audiences. Technology has undeniably been one of the most confusing, spell-bounding and supposedly progressive things our society consumes. From the overhyping of iPhones and always staying on top of the modern world, the invention of 'selfies' - to the notion of online dating and internet communication, Jonze captures our obsession with technology, and creates a world in the not-so-distant future, where disconnection from others is the norm. From the opening lines of Theodore, we are led to believe that he is talking to another person - but instead, we are ironically introduced to his work as an online letter-writing person. This is only the beginning of Jonze's vision of a society, which through earpieces, is able to find out everything about the world - from the news, their emails etc. On the surface, there is no true need for human interaction.

Examining a relationship between a human and OS can be easily laughable. It is a concept that even to us, with iPhone's Siri - may find strange and incredibly outlandish. However, presenting us with this unconventional and eccentric story, Jonze bravely takes on his notion - and successfully pulls it off. He interrogates the idea of love through an artificial intelligence system, concurrently obtaining some of the most truthful messages about the need for human connection. Although disheartening, this film offers a sense of hope that humankind can begin valuing authentic relationships. Theodore's best friend, Amy (played by Amy Adams) - is the perfect representation of this. Jonze stated in his Golden Globes speech that Adams was his "secret weapon" in Her, and despite only having very few scenes, her naturalistic performance is the bridge that makes us understand the importance of human interactions.

Following his anguished and tormented role in The Master, Joaquin Phoenix turns around to play Theodore, a broken-hearted and lonely man, who yearns for connection. Once again, Phoenix's mannerisms and subtle expressions are what makes this (screw the Academy) one of the best performances of the year. There is no need for loud yelling to witness a glimpse of this man's phenomenal acting; just the way he smiles, walks, talks is enough. Scarlett Johansson, although never appearing on screen, instills much emotion and humanity into her character, that we sometimes forget she isn't a portraying a real person.

Her is also wondrous to look at. From the costuming of bright red high pants, to the soft feel of the cinematography - the colours encompassed in this film, vary from its risky pitch-black to the soft-coloured, yet brightness of the futuristic Los Angeles city. Arcade Fire's score is also appropriately sci-fi elemented, escaping from the typical string orchestrated scores we hear in everyday film music. It relies more heavily on empty sounds of the piano, and a more technologically experimental sound that befits the film.

Her is not flawless; it begins losing its steam towards the middle of the film. But these flaws become passable, especially when examining Jonze's groundbreaking and unique creation. It seems only fitting when humanity's expectations for perfection are unachievable.. everything has a flaw. Her will make you laugh, cry and most importantly - feel. Jonze subverts the stigma attached to romantic films...bringing a film that is thought-provoking, heart-rendering and extraordinary. Easily one of my favourites of 2013.

Rating: 5/5