Joaquin Phoenix fell in love with operation system, ‘Her’ 당신은 얼마큼 행복한가요?

Pictures by herthemovie.com

Spike Jonze’s “Her” is a truly unique experience. From the very first shot, the viewer is treated to a palatable feast of visual stimulants. The opening scene sees a rather peculiar looking Joaquin Phoenix declaring his undying devotion for a mysterious soul mate. This affirmation is immediately mesmeric, simply because Phoenix is impervious, truly genuine, utterly exhausted of the idiosyncrasies that characteristically embody his typical Hollywood roles. But then, just as we slumber into a pool of reassurance, we observe that this affectionate statement of love isn’t necessarily his, but something Theodore, Phoenix’s character, does for a living.

Essentially, if you are finding it difficult to translate your emotions into evocative words, you might solicit the services of Theodore.  In a brief period of time, he will write the most poignant of letters for you. Then, unashamedly, you can hand this beautifully crafted letter to your wife on your anniversary, explicitly explaining just how she means more to you now than ever before.  Fascinatingly, it seems to be a lucrative business, because when we are given an initial tour of Theodore’s apartment, the sheer lavishness is enough to generate an element of envy. However, material possessions can quickly become immaterial possessions. I say this simply because Theodore is a man with deep, psychological issues, emotional problems that cannot really be solved by material possessions.

Reeling from an imminent divorce, Theodore falls in love with Samantha, the voice of his processor’s operating system. A gripping hypothesis for a sci-fi romance, the premise ensures a fascinating storyline ensues.  Many believe that Siri was the spark behind this unique concept, but Spike Jonze says he conjured up this notion long before the iPhone creation entered this technological equation.

Scarlett Johnansson provides the sexy voice of Samantha, always providing Theodore with the encouragement and reality checks he so desperately needs. A man wounded by cognisant, sentient females, Phoenix portrays a man who craves a certain type of female voice, one that is premeditated, comforting and reassuring. As beautiful as it is heart-rending, Theodore speaks about Samantha as if she was indeed real; “It’s not just an operating system, it’s a conscience.” Cinematically, this is one of the most stunningly shot films since Lost In Translation. From the inclinations of colour to the stimulating backdrops, this is an optical banquet cushioned by audacious ambitions. Quite simply, “Her” works on every level, Phoenix is as dazzling visually as Johansson is audibly. A truly exceptional movie, this is Jonze’s finest moment, his ultramodern magnum opus.

Contributor, John Glynn

As a contributor of CultureM Magazine, he is writing about global culture, for example, movie, music so on. And he has a PhD in Psychology.

영국 출신의 컬쳐엠매거진 컨트리뷰터 존 그린은 영화, 음악 등 문화 관련 컨텐츠에서 날카로운 분석을 통한 심도 깊은 이야기를 전해주고 있다.