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The Films of Spike Jonze

Being John Malkovich

Adaptation.

Where the Wild Things Are

Her (December 16/13)

Spike Jonze's first film since 2009's Where the Wild Things Are, Her, which unfolds in a not-too-distant future, follows Joaquin Phoenix's Theodore Twombly as he finds himself falling for the disembodied voice of his computer's new operating system (Scarlett Johansson's Samantha). It's clear immediately that Jonze isn't interested in offering up a typical love story, as Her, aside from its sci-fi storyline, unfolds at a persistently deliberate pace and deals mostly with Theodore's ongoing efforts at recovering from a recent separation. It is, as such, not surprising to note that the film boasts a palpably meloncholic feel that's reflected in its various attributes, as Jonze suffuses his screenplay with a number of cogent, relatable observations about love and life in general. (There is, for example, a terrific line in which Theodore wonders/worries he's experienced all the feelings he'll ever feel.) And while the movie's wealth of positive qualities, including a stellar performance from Phoenix and an eye-catching futuristic landscape, ensure that it remains watchable from start to finish, Her contains a languid, lackadaisical midsection that prevents the viewer from wholeheartedly connecting to the material or the characters - with, consequently, the film's more overtly heartrending moments unable to pack the emotional punch that Jonze has clearly intended. The end result is a unique yet erratic romance that could (and should) have been so much better, which is a shame, really, given the film's preponderance of memorable, above-average elements.

out of

© David Nusair