Her Reflection

In an increasing digitalized and media driven era, Spike Jonze’s “Her” provides an interesting and fresh perspective on how technology and digital media can become further invested within our day to day lives, beyond the conveniences of emails, texts and reminders. Obviously, within the modern day dating scene, technology has already become involved in how we find and interact with possible people, however Jonze takes what we have established a step further. The narrative explores the romantic ventures of Theodore Twombly, played by Joaqiun Phoenix, who has been heartbroken after a failed marriage and given up hope trying to rejoin the dating pool. Upon seeing an advertisement for a new artificial intelligence software that designs an individualized AI for each customer, he purchases and installs it. After experimenting with the features and performing basic functions that he used with the previous system, Theodore begins to open up to Samantha, his operating system. As the two become more open with each other and spend more time together, they fall into a romantic relationship. In the build up to beginning their relationship, Jonze provides commentary of the accessibility of digital technology, as Theodore can take and interact with Samantha any and everywhere he goes while showing her what he sees. Jonze makes emphasis on this point by using point of view shots from the camera that allows Samantha to see like when Theodore runs through the crowd of people. Ultimately, Theodore is not able to maintain the relationship with Samantha due to Samantha’s advancement past his capacity. However, the continuing expansion of technology into other aspects of our daily lives is interesting and thought provoking, not only in what it can become involved in but how it can change our perspectives on these categorizes of our lives.