Review of Her (2013) by Bemathis — 11 Jan 2014

It is hard to put into words the emotions that "Her" stirred within me but I can tell you that they are lasting. I've always felt that the hallmark of an excellent film is the ability to challenge the audience and leave them thinking about the film long after the viewing. This film will challenge you not only on an emotional level but also on a philosophical and even existential level. The love story between Theodore and Samantha is a bit droll; filled with typical challenges of jealousy, conflicting sexual interests, petty arguing, and differing ambitions. For a moment you almost forget that Samantha is an artificial intelligence.

I walked into the film expecting this.

What I did not expect was to be challenged with questions regarding sexuality and what it means to truly be and feel. The unseen world of Samantha and other AI is probably to most gripping portion of the film but I feel it is not highlighted enough. Spike Jones wraps us up into Theodore's emotions so tightly that Samantha comes off as a bit of an afterthought. This is likely because we only ever get to experience Samantha through Theodore. It's sad because this makes the film come off as just another story about a guy who is having a hard time after a divorce but if you can see past that I promise that Her is a gift of a movie that keeps on giving.