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Thursday, April 25, 2024
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HOLLYWOOD HER
EDITOR'S PICK
`Her`
- heartfelt romantic tale with brilliant actors (IANS Movie Review)
Rating: ***1/2
`Her`, a Warner Bros produced movie, released under the PVR Director's Rare
Banner, is a futuristic romance tale. With a tinge of sci-fi, this cyber-romance
fiction exposes the human traits of self-realization, acceptance and growth of
lonely singles of this generation.
The story is set in a time frame not too far from occurrence in Los Angeles,
where everyone seems content in their world yet oddly detached, forever in
private conference with their phones and gadgets. It seems like any world we
know.
The film begins with a dramatic close-up of Theodore Twombly (Joaquin Phoenix)
reading a letter he has just written. The letter, sensitive and compassionate,
gives a glimpse of his art as a letter writer, composing bespoke intimate
letters for others. He's so good at his work that his colleague (Chris Pratt)
constantly compliments him.
But unfortunately, he has a crisis in his personal life. He is on the verge of a
divorce from his wife Catherine (Rooney Mara) and he is heard lamenting,
"Since my break-up, I've not been enjoying my writing".
So he spends much of his time at home interfacing with 3D video games.
One fine day he gets a new operating system OS1, with a self-programming
software for his computer. This software responds to the user's personality and
needs.
So after installing a female version, the software materializes as Samantha with
a lifelike consciousness and spontaneity. She has a seductive voice and speaks
in the husky, coquettish or sweetly amused tones of Scarlett Johansson. She is
the perfect tool for any lonely guy.
Connected to his mobile phone, all Theodore needs to speak to Samantha, is a
small earpiece. He often converses while walking through the city sky-walks, on
the subway, by the beach, later on a fast train and hiking through a forest.
With Theodore's obsessive interaction with Samantha, an intimate rapport comes
into being between this strange couple: a real, visible man and an invisible
woman, both reacting with delight and surprise to each other's possibilities.
The film contests not only our dependence on our devices, but also the
conservative wisdom that this dependence makes us worse people. Theodore's
relationship with Samantha paradoxically makes him an improved individual around
his fellow humans.
Phoenix is an extraordinary actor who brings depth and sympathy to a role that
requires him to bounce off in empty spaces acting all alone most of the time.
His reactions to Scarlett Johansson's well-modulated voice are awe-inspiring.
The supporting cast also includes Amy Adams as Theodore's longtime friend who,
rather too conveniently, is also going through a romantic separation. Olivia
Wilde in a tiny role as a blind date is utterly wasted.
The production quality of the film is above average and the cinematography by
Hoyte Van Hoytema is worth a mention. He beautifully captures Theodore in all
angles and emotions, static or in motion. Unfortunately the setting throws you
off balance as the story is said to be based in Los Angeles, but the visuals
with Pan Asian visages make you wonder if you are in china town part of LA.
Director Jonze's writing really tackles what people want out of love and
relationships. Despite its humour and weird comedy, the original screenplay with
an absurdly, bordering on the bizarre premise, is intriguing and engaging up to
a point. Unfortunately, the story is forced and too convenient. Also the fact
that it slowly dissipates into a cliched self-realization theme kills the oomph
factor of the film.
Nevertheless, "Her" is one of cinema's most affecting and heartfelt
romances in modern times. It is worth a onetime viewing for its original concept
and brilliant performances.
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