Naming itself Samantha (Scarlett Johansson’s voice), the OS is an advanced and learning artificial intelligence that helps Theodore with his computer tasks but more importantly befriends and seems to understand him. This mixture of emotions and quirks primes Theodore for becomingly quickly enamored with the new operating system he purchases for his computer network. That skill makes him an excellent fit for his job at the letter writing company, and he regularly conveys beautiful thoughts and feelings for his clients, even as he struggles to understand his own place in emotions and love while he lives in denial of the divorce he’s refusing to complete. While he seems most comfortable working with machines, he possesses a keen sensitivity that allows him to express his emotions in especially eloquent ways. Theodore is something of a dichotomy in his modern and disconnected world. As the technology becomes more complex and the AIs with which people interact become more lifelike, humans have less cause to engage with each other and more cause to retreat into their own cyber cocoons. Most people are connected to and through their technology but are isolated from each other, a short term trajectory that’s all too easy to believe. It’s rare for him not to be talking to a computer, whether it’s the one he carries with him, the personal computer in his home, or the system at work where he composes heartfelt letters for clients to send to their loved ones. Like everyone else he knows and encounters, Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix) trundles through life with an earpiece in his ear and a mobile device in his hand or pocket. Our obsession with consumer gadgets and specifically with our iPhones and Androids is very likely to usher us directly into Spike Jonze’s vision sooner rather than later. The future of Her is a much more tangible and believable one, barely different from the world in which we live today. Most near future settings in sci-fi are only passably recognizable as a society connected to our own, and there usually are at least a few flying cars or robotic housekeepers to be seen. Her is a weird love story, but it’s also near future science fiction. Her releases on Blu-ray this week, and I finally got a chance to discover what I had missed in the theatrical run. And, you know, that’s kind of what it is, but that description eschews all the philosophical nuances and atmospheric implications that come as part and parcel of this film. When Her originally released in theaters I heard that it was about Joaquin Phoenix falling in love with his Siri. The last place I expected to find the most intriguing science fiction I’ve seen this year, however, was within this strange movie called Her. I’m a fan and follower of science fiction, quick to consume new books, movies, and video games to assimilate into my ever expanding sci-fi worldview.
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