Her: Ingenious science fiction in which Joaquin Phoenix falls in love with his computer operating system. Oscar for Best Screenplay!
Plot and background
When we meet another person, we perceive their appearance and can look them in the eye. Many factors then play a role in whether we can fall in love with this person or not. But for Theodore Twombly (Joaquin Phoenix) all that is beside the point, because he falls in love with a voice. And that’s all he can do, because the woman of his heart, Samantha (Scarlett Johansson), is incorporeal. She is merely the voice of Theodore’s new operating system, which has artificial intelligence and can apparently also build up emotions.
The tender voice comes at just the right time, as Theodore trundles somewhat haltingly through life. He may be composing emotional letters for clients who lack the right words, but in his own life the world doesn’t look quite so rosy. After his long-term relationship with Catherine (Rooney Mara) fell apart, he lost his smile. But then Samantha comes into his life and he is immediately attracted to the lovely voice and she doesn’t seem to be averse either. Feelings quickly develop that go far beyond a mere crush, but those around him view the developments critically. Can such a love even work when only the voice is present? Can a relationship have a chance when the physical is absent?
“Her” backgrounds
For the voice of Samantha, Spike Jonze hired actress Samantha Morton, but during editing, Spike Jonze found that his film didn’t work with that voice. As a result, Scarlett Johansson was given the job of creating emotion through her voice alone, which she did brilliantly. Director Spike Jonze won an Oscar in 2014 for the screenplay of “Her”.
