Simple, Yet Powerful: A Review of Her

by Kyle Kull

Every generation, their art begins to define them. Typically this is seen in films that feature characters who are wrestling with common problems of the engaged society and mask a style that has been established as popular. I believe that for the most recent generation, Her (Spike Jonze, 2013) is one of the first films to effectively define them.

There were three aspects of Her that led me to this conclusion: its Indie "vibe", the recurring theme of loneliness and love, and the sleek, modern style.

The Indie scene is powerfully popular today, going somewhat hand-in-hand with the whole "hipster" style of dress and living, providing a slightly alternative form of filmmaking for aspiring directors. Amateurs, unable to achieve the high budgeted projects that are products of the Hollywood scene, created purely artistic works that were created through hard work and dedication. Due to low budgeting, some imperfections such as sepia tones, simple scripts and minimal production has given a specific aesthetic to the Indie film genre recently. Her provides its viewers with this aesthetic, which is now not just a watermark of the low budget filmmaking, but a popular and well-received flavor of cinema. The important thing to note in this situation is that Her is not at all an independent film, but rather a high budgeted feature film, in which the filmmakers made the conscious decision to create this Indie signature. I believe this choice was remarkably intelligent and is evidence that the producers understand the popular trends within film, using this aesthetic to promote a brand for Her.

While our world has become somewhat more complicated through the new technologies that we use to assist our lives, our society has started to focus on generally raw and simplistic themes such as love and loneliness, reverting to the core dilemmas which drive our motives and emotions. Theodore emulates these discussions and conflicts, becoming a lonely man with his recent separation and upcoming divorce, and is desperate to retrieve some of that personal connection he is now suddenly missing. He wrestles with the decay of his love life and is trying to fill it with the presence of a being who cares for him, resulting is Theodore trying to invest his relationship with "Samantha". Understanding our cultures consistent concentration on these simple values, the filmmakers of Her provide its audiences with highly relatable and seductive content.

Typically with a film in the romantic genre, you wouldn't see extensive production design, due to the focus being on the character's emotions and development rather than the setting where the story is taking place. However I was surprised when I viewed Her, because it was obvious that Spike Jonze and the producers were in complete awareness of their science fiction undertones. Based in the near future, we don't see gadgets and technology that implicate the advancement of society, but rather see beautiful architecture and civil engineering, showing rows of buildings and skyscrapers that paint the horizons. While there are some advancements to our current technologies, including improved voice command and Bluetooth devices, the true indication of the near-future time period (besides Operating Systems being able to experience emotion), is in the production design. Given that our culture has become more and more forward-thinking and innovative, it was smart for the filmmakers to put Theodore in a completely possible future where buildings look clean and skylines are no longer a sight for sore eyes. This gives Her a sharper hint of reality.

Her is brilliant. There is no better word to describe a film which is aware of its audience, its culture, and the issues which drive it. Given the incredible popularity and remarkable success the film has had with the young, coming-of-age, outspoken generation, I believe Her has marked a new era of filmmaking in which genre is secondary to character, style, and the development of discussion. Spike Jonze, understanding the direction of the future, has created a piece in which audiences can discover love, joy, and most of all, answers. Her is a must-watch and an instant classic, but most of all just a simple love story.