The Film
Back in 2010, Joaquin Phoenix made the bizarre "documentary" I'm Still Here, which pretty much brought my love affair with the actor's work to a screeching halt. Despite the satire, it was really difficult to watch and seemed like a waste of talent and film, if you ask me. However, time heals all wounds -- and 2012's The Master certainly helped, netting Phoenix his third Oscar nomination.
With that film, Phoenix had to share the screen (and Oscar nominations) with Philip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams. However, Her is really his show. Well, it's mostly his show. Director Spike Jonze has certainly put Phoenix's talents front and center, but he needs to share some of the accolades with Scarlett Johansson, even though she doesn't have one second of actual screen time.
Her is set in the future, where people have access to awesome video games, wear their pants really high, and love their technology. Sure, people in 2014 love technology as well, but in 2025, they really love it. In the case of Theodore Twombly (Phoenix), that love is quite literal after he becomes completely dependent on an operating system named Samantha (voiced by Johansson). It's not such a stretch, considering everything going on (or not going on) in Theodore's life. His wife (Rooney Mara) just left him and his job requires him to create sweet hand-written letters for people that don't have the time or motivation to actually do it themselves.
The only other real women in Theodore's life include an ex (Adams again!) that's in her own nightmarish relationship and one quickie date (Olivia Wilde). However, nothing compares to Samantha. She's the perfect captive audience.
Her certainly has a lot of things going for it. Jonze's Oscar-winning screenplay is one of the most original there's been in years and really makes a statement about our tech-obsessed society. It's also extremely well-acted. Phoenix has the ability to carry the film, but Johansson deserves just as much praise, especially for someone who doesn't actually appear on-screen. That said, at 126 minutes, Her drags in some parts. It's a bit on the long side for any love story, especially such a strange one.
Need another look at this futuristic love story? Check out David Kempler's theatrical review of Her.
The Picture
Her starts off with a perfectly framed picture of Joaquin Phoenix's face. The 1.85:1 image displays every hair, blemish and emotion quite nicely. Once the film zooms out, there's tons of interesting imagery. Some of it is subdued and some is even a little soft in some spots. Just know that's definitely how Spike Jonze wants it to be. Overall, viewers will be pleased with Her's image, from the detail to the color, especially when it comes to the nice, inky black levels.
The Sound
With the exception of the soundtrack, Her's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track isn't very lively. There are certainly some ambient sounds from the streets and on the beach. However, the film is all really all about the dialogue, which is always very clear, but also breathy, emotional and even immersive in some parts, especially when it comes to Scarlett Johansson.
The Extras
Final Thoughts
Her is a really creative, entertaining film. I just wanted it to be a slightly better film. Joaquin Phoenix is always interesting and Scarlett Johansson deserves just as much praise for her vocal talents. It also comes with a nice AV package. Just know that the extras are sort of skimpy and the film itself is just a bit long for any love story, even when it comes to Her.
Product Details
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