Every once in a while an art house film dreams of breaking out of the tiny niche film theaters and trying to make it on the same big screens and show summer blockbusters. While those movies may have the critics drooling they sometimes leave your average theater goer scratching their head because there weren’t enough explosions of flashing lights.
Okay, that was a little douchey, I admit. But the point I’m trying to make is that movies usually know their place. Sideways and The Hurt Locker know that, while they’re very good, they aren’t for everyone. At the same time movies like Pacific Rim and Star Trek know that they shine best on a huge screen with speakers so loud that Spinal Tap gets jealous.
That being said, every once in a while there’s a movie that normally would be stuck in tiny indie theater, but it manages to break out into the wide world of mainstream theaters. Her is one of those movies.
If you don’t already know, Her is a movie about a man who gets a brand new operating system which is artificially intelligent and can learn and adjust itself to become everything the owner needs. But what if what the owner needs is love and a mended heart?
Let’s get the usual stuff out of the way. Joaquin Phoenix did such a good job that I could only see him as Theodore Twombly. There was no hint of Johnny Cash or Commodus at all. Scarlett Johansson was never seen, but still gave a deep performance. I have to applaud her as voice acting isn’t easy. Amy Adams is in this movie too and does a great job, as usual. The question of an Oscar win for her is a matter of when, not if. The love story between Theodore (Phoenix) and Samantha (Johansson) was sweet, heartbreaking and, most of all, it felt real.
You can read any other review to see the praises of the actors being sung. I want to provide a warning. I want to touch on something that others might overlook. Her is a heavy movie. It dives deep into an interpersonal relationship between two people… well… a person and an artificial intelligence. Even more than that, it asks you to ponder the idea that the AI voiced by Scarlett Johansson is just as real as you or me.
Also, this movie is classified as Drama, Romance, and Sci-Fi, but remember that science fiction doesn’t always mean intergalactic space battles and phasers set to stun. Jurassic Park and A Clockwork Orange are technically Sci-Fi too. I know most of you know that since you’re awesome nerds, but I felt like it warranted mentioning.
Her was very well done and is probably going to walk away with a few Oscars. But be prepared when you watch it. Get ready for a dialogue heavy movie with quite a few awkward scenes with philosophical questions thrown right in your face. Get ready for lots of closeups of Joaquin Phoenix. Since the second biggest character in the movie is a voice, he’s the main thing you’re going to see. Also, you can save your money and rent it when it comes out. While I did like it a lot, it’s not one of those movies you NEED to see on the big screen. Watch Her, but watch it at home. It’ll be just as deep and just as good on a small screen.