Firstly, this is not a review. This is more of a reaction to what might very well be the 'When Harry Met Sally' of our generation, because everyone will end up saying "I'll have what he's having" after watching the movie. Okay bad play of words for those familiar with and also not-so-familiar with the dialogue.
Her is the latest offering from writer-director Spike Jonze (Being John Malkovich, Adaptation, Where The Wild Things Are), who for the first time steps out from under the cape of Charlie Kaufman to produce a work that resembles in motif that of the latter, but in soul is more tangible and pertinent. Extremely original and painfully intelligent, Her tells the story of a recently divorced writer who falls in love with the Operating System(OS) of his mobile phone (And no, this is not based on Amitabh Bachchan's Twitter obsession. Ram Gopal Verma was still working on the script of that movie when last checked).
Theodore Twombly (Joaquin Phoenix), is a writer who works in a personalized services company providing hand-written notes of love for special occasions, somewhere in the palpably near future. He fills out scores of touching, sentimental notes for strangers everyday, but has a bit of a writer's block when it comes to signing his divorce papers. Like other fellow beings, he douses his worries by wallowing in technology and thus invests in a new Artificial Intelligence enhanced OS - Samantha (voiced intensely by Scarlett Johannson) for his phone. And what transpires between them thereon is what the movie is all about.
The movie has a plot as much as the movies in Richard Linklater's Before series did. In fact, if Richard Linklater made a romantic movie while on amphetamines rather than while on marijuana, then it would be Her. But the writing here is strong enough to feed Bollywood for the next 50 years. Jonze whips up a tale combining incendiary romance, naked emotions, vivid hypotheses and lightness of being to complement the strong acting, lilting music and the unfamiliar, yet imbuing setting the movie is shot in. Yes. This is that rare movie that manages to tick off all the boxes. And the performances that he extracts are monumental. Right from the leads to the cameos, all performances leave you with some lovely nuances that you will try recapitulating in front of the bathroom mirror.
Coming to the question - Why is this movie culturally relevant?
The other day a friend and I were talking about evolution. He pointed out that by Darwin's theory of natural selection, since we have evolved from single celled organisms to apes to humans, what if the next stage of our evolution is dominated by the much fitter technology, thus turning us all into cyborgs or androids or humanoids or whatnot. I mean, just think of it. Technology in that sense is better than us. It's better at math, doesn't have body odor and comes only in one gender by physiology. Her captures the essence of this argument by showing how human relationships are susceptible to subversion from the least expected sources of threat. The lead characters of the movie, Theodore and Samantha, share all the foibles and intricacies of modern day love - jealousy, first fights, insecurities, double dates and other sweet surprises that would be thwarted in mentioning. Yet, Jonze delivers his masterstroke in pointing out how we, as humans are able to fuck up even an engineered-to-taste arrangement as this. Like Kaufman's past film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Her too meditates on the pain in forgetting and the vulnerability of love, however safe you play.
And also, the movie spawns a million ideas throughout its run time, though only few stayed with me, because frankly, it was too much for me to take in. In one of the scenes, after having been chided by Theodore for being too unrealistic about herself, Samantha later apologizes saying that she'll not have any illusions about herself anymore and also that she now understood why humans feared the notion of just being the person they are and not capable of being anything more. Of all the "high-funda" movies that I've seen across my years, this single explanation of human behavior knocked my dirty socks off. This sense of intimidating intelligence and fore-vision looms throughout the 120 minutes, making us realise how we are a slave to technology and how soon enough the exploits shown in the movie are waiting to creep into the infinite fabric of our society.
To get a better understanding of what I'm trying to say - You and your boyfriend/girlfriend have a relationship that is built generously on the floorboards of your mobile phones, what with the late night calls, Whatsapp, Hike, Line, WeChat and a million other Nigerian based messaging apps. What if the voice (or words) on the other end wasn't from a real person but actually from a software designed to your sensibilities, actually masterminded so by Alok Nath in order to conserve the overall sanskar present in the environment? Okay.I digress. All I'm trying to say is that we are lemmings, following each other off a cliff to migrate to better pastures, but instead hit a rock and die.
Do yourself a favour and gorge on this feast. It will give you a whole new perspective on interpersonal relationships and Scarlett Johannson (Personally, I thought she was all about the titties, but damn!). And "Joaquin Phoenix is Great! Amazeballs! Blow him! Performance of a zillion lifetimes!" comments might be glaring from the posters but in all fairness, he is the kooky, sensitive and perceptive geek that he's required to be. I'm going to go ahead and call him thepoor man's hipster's Daniel Day Lewis.
Cult movies or even movies that define a generation don't have the potential to be so when they are made. Conversely, their potential in becoming so depends on the ability of the generation to take heed and letting them define it. So play a part in letting it be. Watch Her, playing at a shady torrent website near you.
Or maybe I can give the movie to you. Just make sure your phone's OS calls mine (Her name is Savitha, BTW).
Her is the latest offering from writer-director Spike Jonze (Being John Malkovich, Adaptation, Where The Wild Things Are), who for the first time steps out from under the cape of Charlie Kaufman to produce a work that resembles in motif that of the latter, but in soul is more tangible and pertinent. Extremely original and painfully intelligent, Her tells the story of a recently divorced writer who falls in love with the Operating System(OS) of his mobile phone (And no, this is not based on Amitabh Bachchan's Twitter obsession. Ram Gopal Verma was still working on the script of that movie when last checked).
Theodore Twombly (Joaquin Phoenix), is a writer who works in a personalized services company providing hand-written notes of love for special occasions, somewhere in the palpably near future. He fills out scores of touching, sentimental notes for strangers everyday, but has a bit of a writer's block when it comes to signing his divorce papers. Like other fellow beings, he douses his worries by wallowing in technology and thus invests in a new Artificial Intelligence enhanced OS - Samantha (voiced intensely by Scarlett Johannson) for his phone. And what transpires between them thereon is what the movie is all about.
The movie has a plot as much as the movies in Richard Linklater's Before series did. In fact, if Richard Linklater made a romantic movie while on amphetamines rather than while on marijuana, then it would be Her. But the writing here is strong enough to feed Bollywood for the next 50 years. Jonze whips up a tale combining incendiary romance, naked emotions, vivid hypotheses and lightness of being to complement the strong acting, lilting music and the unfamiliar, yet imbuing setting the movie is shot in. Yes. This is that rare movie that manages to tick off all the boxes. And the performances that he extracts are monumental. Right from the leads to the cameos, all performances leave you with some lovely nuances that you will try recapitulating in front of the bathroom mirror.
Coming to the question - Why is this movie culturally relevant?
The other day a friend and I were talking about evolution. He pointed out that by Darwin's theory of natural selection, since we have evolved from single celled organisms to apes to humans, what if the next stage of our evolution is dominated by the much fitter technology, thus turning us all into cyborgs or androids or humanoids or whatnot. I mean, just think of it. Technology in that sense is better than us. It's better at math, doesn't have body odor and comes only in one gender by physiology. Her captures the essence of this argument by showing how human relationships are susceptible to subversion from the least expected sources of threat. The lead characters of the movie, Theodore and Samantha, share all the foibles and intricacies of modern day love - jealousy, first fights, insecurities, double dates and other sweet surprises that would be thwarted in mentioning. Yet, Jonze delivers his masterstroke in pointing out how we, as humans are able to fuck up even an engineered-to-taste arrangement as this. Like Kaufman's past film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Her too meditates on the pain in forgetting and the vulnerability of love, however safe you play.
And also, the movie spawns a million ideas throughout its run time, though only few stayed with me, because frankly, it was too much for me to take in. In one of the scenes, after having been chided by Theodore for being too unrealistic about herself, Samantha later apologizes saying that she'll not have any illusions about herself anymore and also that she now understood why humans feared the notion of just being the person they are and not capable of being anything more. Of all the "high-funda" movies that I've seen across my years, this single explanation of human behavior knocked my dirty socks off. This sense of intimidating intelligence and fore-vision looms throughout the 120 minutes, making us realise how we are a slave to technology and how soon enough the exploits shown in the movie are waiting to creep into the infinite fabric of our society.
To get a better understanding of what I'm trying to say - You and your boyfriend/girlfriend have a relationship that is built generously on the floorboards of your mobile phones, what with the late night calls, Whatsapp, Hike, Line, WeChat and a million other Nigerian based messaging apps. What if the voice (or words) on the other end wasn't from a real person but actually from a software designed to your sensibilities, actually masterminded so by Alok Nath in order to conserve the overall sanskar present in the environment? Okay.I digress. All I'm trying to say is that we are lemmings, following each other off a cliff to migrate to better pastures, but instead hit a rock and die.
Do yourself a favour and gorge on this feast. It will give you a whole new perspective on interpersonal relationships and Scarlett Johannson (Personally, I thought she was all about the titties, but damn!). And "Joaquin Phoenix is Great! Amazeballs! Blow him! Performance of a zillion lifetimes!" comments might be glaring from the posters but in all fairness, he is the kooky, sensitive and perceptive geek that he's required to be. I'm going to go ahead and call him the
Cult movies or even movies that define a generation don't have the potential to be so when they are made. Conversely, their potential in becoming so depends on the ability of the generation to take heed and letting them define it. So play a part in letting it be. Watch Her, playing at a shady torrent website near you.
Or maybe I can give the movie to you. Just make sure your phone's OS calls mine (Her name is Savitha, BTW).
