Her Review: Dating in the Future is Complicated…

Theodore Twombly is a character that’s married to Rooney Mara, his best friend is Amy Adams, he goes on dates with Olivia Wilde and… Scarlett Johansson is in love with him. But despite what you may think this is not a story about being the luckiest man in the world…

Okay so maybe I left out some critical information about the plot… Lets try again. Theodore Twombly played by Joaquin Phoenix lives in a future Los Angeles but this future is not that dissimilar from our own. In this future though it seems we spend more time talking to our phones than we do to other people. And as such, feels like a science fiction film grounded in a 21^st century reality.

Director Spike Jonze has done a remarkable job of creating a cognitive film that contemplates what our contemporary antisocial dependence on technology is doing to our essential innate human need to be social and have healthy relationships. In doing so feels like and eerie realisation of a future that awaits us.

Theodore, being a quirky and sensitive individual with the interpersonal skills to relate to the emotions of others. Works the peculiar job of writing hand written letters for people that can't properly express themselves.

After suffering a devastating mid life break up with his wife Catharine, he struggles deeply to pick up the pieces of his life. Phoenix does a fantastic job of portraying a very lonely, depressed and disillusioned protagonist. Whose fear and vulnerability in relationships is something you empathise with throughout the film.

Reclusive, he becomes intrigued in OS1, the worlds very first artificially intelligent operating system with its own conscience. Samantha the Siri like OS, huskily voiced by Scarlett Johansson is the most interesting character in the film. Samantha’s personality is nothing short of amazing. She is friendly, funny and it is genuinely great to hear her interact with Theodore. Unlike older operating systems in this world she has intuition and is constantly learning from her experiences with humans. 

The film revolves around them both having a relationship and asks the question what is our relationship with technology? And what is our responsibility to it? Olivia Wilde has a real small role as Theodore’s date that goes horribly wrong but she is instrumental in progressing the film to where Theodore can open up to Samantha and they can become intimate in a natural (if disembodied) way.

Of course Samantha doesn’t have a body, this is the big contention you have to deal with. The film never addresses the need to define Samantha as an avatar or even turn her into a robot, which I think it works better for. During the relationship Jonze seems to contend that love is the connection between psyches and, if anything, looks are not a large factor in true love.

You definitely feel uneasy about the relationship but I found it interesting societies reaction to the relationships of A.I's and humans is one of complete acceptance. Its true your enjoyment of film will be hampered if you are unable to conceive an AI conciseness but Samantha does become the positive influence Theodore needs to pull him out of his melancholy. When he asks if it’s wrong or right? I think that his best-friend Amy, played by Amy Adams, seems to sum it up: "we're only here briefly. And while I'm here, I wanna allow myself joy. So f**k it."

The only person in the film to challenge the AI relationship is his wife played by Rooney Mara. In an excellent scene where they come together to sign divorce papers she says he can’t handle real emotions. And we find out through the film she’s somewhat right. Theodore's ex-wife's "volatile" emotions can be seen as a main reason as to why the relationship did not work, yet tragically he feels too much of a connection to her. (she was his life-long friend) 

In comparison Samantha as an AI is pure and innocent. She is completely new to relationships, she has no insecurity, no self doubt. Unlike the real women in his life there is no human baggage. Theodore is mistaken however in thinking that Samantha is any less complicated to date. She to develops her own insecurities, in particular about not having a body. While Theodore soon starts to feel uncomfortable and doubt if it can really work.

They say that love is giving someone the power to destroy you… but trusting them not to. Theodore can’t fully commit to the responsibility and the sacrifices needed in maintaining love. Dealing with real emotions (in the give and take of a relationship) he cowers. These flaws make him his own worst enemy, leading him to destroy what he loves most.

I don’t want to spoil anymore of the plot here. I deliberately missed out some of the best moments of the film so you have the enjoyment of exploring them for yourselves. When it all comes down to it, this film is not really about technology or the future; it’s about adult relationships and complex emotions. There is a lot here to self reflect on, no matter what stage you are at in your life. Solidarity, searching for the fullness and richness love brings to life, confronting past regrets and failings and seeking acceptance and forgiveness in the love of another.

After the credits, I found myself questioning things in my own life that either don't make sense or don't have to make sense. Like love and thoughts and emotions. They're all so natural and yet none of us truly understand how they work. I thought about the adaptation process we all go through and the highs and lows that change us and make us grow.

I watched all the Oscar films this year but this one was the only film I felt the need to write about in any real detail. It is definitely a writer’s film in the way it tackles the human condition and deservers to win best original script. The film has great cinematography and an excellent score and is surprisingly funny and heart warming at times.

Boydee Blog Rating: 4/5 foul-mouthed video game alien children