Review: Her

Man Meets Machine. Man Loves Machine. Any Questions?

By Chris Sabga

Release Date: January 10, 2014 – U.S.

Rating: R

Genre: Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi

Running Time: 126 minutes

Director: Spike Jonze

Writer: Spike Jonze

Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Scarlett Johansson, 

Amy Adams, Rooney Mara, Matt Letscher, 

Olivia Wilde

What do you picture when you hear a name like Theodore Twombly? Probably a lonely, socially awkward man with round glasses, just a mustache, and pants pulled up too high. Then again, in the near future, it appears that mustaches are fashionable again and so are trousers that go up to one's nipples.

Such a brave new world demands brave new technology. Windows and other operating systems have apparently fallen by the wayside – replaced by the elegantly-titled OS1. "It’s not just an OS. It’s a consciousness." Indeed, this operating system can name itself, form independent thoughts, develop feelings, and tailor itself intimately to each individual user. This version of the program sounds like a female and introduces itself as Samantha (voiced by Scarlett Johansson). Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix) is instantly smitten.

Things are a bit more complicated with the real women in his life. Flashbacks are shown of his wife, Catherine (Rooney Mara), who he constantly thinks about. And while he's very comfortable conversing with his friend and neighbor, Amy (Amy Adams), she's already married. He also attempts to go on a blind date (with a woman played by Olivia Wilde), but no one can understand him the way his computer companion can – the way Samantha does.

Joaquin Phoenix is tremendous as Theodore. It's a transcendental performance. He was unfairly overlooked for an Oscar nomination. The futuristic world of "Her" really comes alive, thanks to the film's spectacular visual style. Great care has obviously gone into every aesthetic aspect of the production – from the sets to the costumes to the gadgets – right down to the little details.

It's a shame, then, that I found myself unable to truly believe the movie's central premise. I wanted to. I tried to. But I couldn't.

"I'm dating my OS!"

When Theodore gleefully shares that information with others, they barely react (with one exception).

Come on!

Case-in-point: If I declared that I was in love with Siri, the iPhone's voice feature, I'd be locked up for life! Even if my family and friends were as "understanding" as Theodore's, I suppose I'd get strange reactions anyway because I've set mine to sound like an Englishman. Don't judge! "He" has a pleasing lilt – very refined. Unfortunately, I have to speak like a Brit myself to get "him" to understand me.

The limits of technology!

Theodore and Samantha, however, have no such issues. The movie, on the other hand, has quite a few.

For one thing, it drags on and on. I felt every single second of "Her's" 126-minute running time. Then again, I'm not sure what could have possibly been cut out to tighten the flow – everything that was included seemed important to the story in some way.

Also, as good as Phoenix is here, his character can come across as a bit creepy at times. I suspect that's partly by design, though. After all, normal, well-adjusted people don't date their computers.

Regardless, that "relationship" is one of the major problems I have with the movie. It's not realistic. It rings false.

Yes, I realize "Her" is likely meant to be an allegory about our current over-reliance on technology. Parallels can certainly be made between events of this film and the way we interact with websites, virtual pen pals, and everything else the world wide web has to offer. Still, even the most outlandish fantasy has to work at least somewhat on a credible, real-world, literal level; the core "romance" between man and machine in this movie never quite does. I was unable to completely suspend my disbelief.

Even though the film didn't entirely work for me, I can still see myself revisiting it in the future. Writer and director Spike Jonze deserves credit for crafting a grand, bold vision. Instead of playing it safe, he took big chances and dared to be original and artistic.

I didn't love "Her," but I do admire it.  

Review: Side Effects

Steven Soderbergh's Paranoid Thriller Keeps You Guessing, But Is It Good?

By Chris Sabga

Release Date: February 8, 2013 – U.S.

Rating: R

Genre: Drama, Thriller

Running Time: 106 minutes

Director: Steven Soderbergh
Writer: Scott Z. Burns

Cast: Jude Law, Rooney Mara, 

Catherine Zeta-Jones, Channing Tatum

In "Side Effects," it seems like everyone's on something; antidepressants are discussed as casually as which appetizer to order for lunch.

Martin Taylor (Channing Tatum) has just gotten out of prison after four years. My first thought was that someone as pretty as him couldn't have plausibly survived a day. Then he reveals his transgression: insider trading. Ah ha! That makes sense. His long-suffering wife, Emily (Rooney Mara), is there to greet him. That's a lot for one girl to take in, and it isn't long before she lapses back into some of her previous mental illness issues. Her new psychiatrist, Dr. Jonathan Banks (Jude Law), promises to keep a close eye on her. So devoted he is that he even contacts her old shrink, Dr. Victoria Siebert (Catherine Zeta-Jones), for advice. She recommends a new drug.

At first, the film appears to be a scathing – if overly exaggerated – manifesto on the dangers of mood-altering medications and the deals doctors and psychiatrists make with "Big Pharma" to peddle these pills onto their unsuspecting patients. In one amusing scene, Banks explains to a patient that he's being paid by a pharmaceutical company to promote their new treatment – it's a "study," of course – and he wonders if she'd be interested in participating. It's free for her and she doesn't have to report it to anyone. In a similar situation, I'd find it very hard to say no too.

Then the movie takes a sharp turn, and the web keeps spinning around and around after that.

Steven Soderbergh's latest film is best described as a paranoid thriller. It's very successful in keeping you guessing. You'll almost feel like you're on medication as you try to stay one step ahead of the plot. Because of that, there's rarely a dull moment – at least at first.

It's certainly an actors' showcase. Law and Mara deliver tremendous performances as the layers of their characters are peeled back. Tatum's role isn't a flashy one, but he does a credible job. Zeta-Jones's character can be a bit cartoonish, but it's still fun to watch her work.

However, the movie doesn't entirely succeed. As revelations ultimately unfold and explanations are finally given, it all becomes a bit convoluted and illogical. Then throw in a few small scenes that are almost as trashy as "Basic Instinct" – without any of the exuberance displayed by that movie. It's a bit of a mess overall.

I enjoyed the twists and tension of "Side Effects," but as I walked out of the theater, I couldn't help but feel somewhat irritated and hollow. The movie is fun at times, but what's the point of it?