Set in the not so distant future where all computers and phones are voice operated by a bluetooth device that's in your ear for most of your day, Theodore Twombly (Joaquin Phoenix), after a recent break-up, finds himself yearning to connect with someone again. But he is not quite ready to deal with the emotions and responsibilities that come with a relationship. He goes to work, goes home, plays video games, and tries the occasional online chat group. Then a new Operating System is introduced for phones and computers that is unlike the current OS. This one does not simply respond to you in a Siri-like voice according to your set of commands. This OS has artificial intelligence and can have a conversation with you. It constantly learns more about you and of itself. It develops emotions. It becomes a person. It becomes someone you can fall in love with... And so begins a very weird love story.

"her" is directed and written by Spike Jonze, the same man that brought us Being John Malcovich, a film about a portal that lets you enter the mind of actor John Malcovich, and at some point John Malcovich enters that portal resulting in a world filled with John Machoviches... Yes, Spike Jonze has a weird mind. So when a movie has a tagline that reads  "A Spike Jonze Love Story", you should know this is not going to be any thing conventional.

​In "her", he created a world that looks more retro than futuristic, a world that I thought was beautiful and fresh, where technology is not just a tool, but integrated in everything around you and crucial to functioning. Visually it was stunning and beautifully filmed. Everything felt real. It felt like a realistic depiction of where we are heading in real life. I just hope that those high rise pants don't make their comeback. 

Joaquin Phoenix delivers another stellar performance and I won't be surprised at all if he gets a nomination for best actor at this year's Oscars (*he did not get a nomination... I am surprised*). The rest of the cast shines as well, and Scarlett Johansson, who is the voice of Samantha, the OS, deserves an award for her voice-over work. Samantha is never seen in the film and yet you build a relationship with her, and start to care for her. And even to love her... Much like Theodore did.

At times during the film I felt that this is all too silly for my liking. Really? A man "dating" his phone? "Dating" his computer? But then I thought about it again...  is this really so far fetched? We joke about falling in love with Siri, but as technology more and more tries to imitate life, won't there come a time where we can feel "attracted" to the voice inside our operating system? People are already using the internet for dating, meeting people, sharing everything about ourselves. Some people find solace and security behind their computers, interacting with people in a "safe" environment, with no real idea who the person on the other side is aside from what they tell you. We are building more and more emotion into our technology, and what will happen to our way of living on that day when we yell "It's alive! It's alive!" and we see our Frankenstein waking from the dead?

​Spike Jonze did something amazing with this film. He showed us with what sounds like a ridiculous premise, how we have become absolutely dependent and in love with our technology. It never leaves our side. We share our emotions and thoughts with it. We feel empty without it. We need it. We love it. And it all comes down to one thing; we all want to connect with someone. We are all lonely beings searching for the person or persons that we can share our lives with. Like Susan Sarandon said in "Shall We Dance," we all want a witness to our lives, otherwise what's the point? And that is what this film is all about.

"her" is by no means for everybody. Some people might find it just to awkward to watch a love story between a man and a voice, and at times the dialogue is a bit risque, so be warned. But for me it was a film with a lot of heart and had a lot to say about relationships, between each other and with our machines. Spike Jonze deservedly won the Golden Globe for best screenplay and I hope he wins it at the Oscars.