The plot of Spike Jonze's "Her" seems almost laughable when summarized, but it's nearly impossible not to be charmed by this bizarre, sci-fi-inflected love story. In the not-so-distant future, we follow Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix), a lonely, recently-separated man who, ironically enough, works at a company that writes personalized (and sometimes romantic) letters for people that can't seem to do that themselves. One day, Theodore buys an upgrade for an operating system that comes with an AI virtual assistant, Samantha (voiced by Scarlett Johansson).
Theodore begins having long conversations with Samantha, and eventually, the pair start going on "dates." What our lead fails to realize, however, is that he's falling for a system based on an algorithm responding to his desires, and naturally, things don't turn out the way he wants. "Her" was a hit at the time of its release, even scoring an Academy Award for best original screenplay.
During a chat with NPR, Jonze explained the major themes of his flick that definitely resonate after watching it, especially in today's digitally-obsessed age. "Our yearning to connect, our need for intimacy, and the things inside us that prevent us from connecting," he mused. Clearly, the filmmaker leaves audiences with much to chew on regarding human affection versus the isolating technological world.
