‘Her’: An AI Romance 10 Years Ahead of its Time
AI may be on everyone’s minds now, but Spike Jonze was tackling this topic way back in 2013 with his science fiction romance film ‘Her’.
Joaquin Phoenix in Her (2013). Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures
Artificial Intelligence is a seemingly inescapable topic on the internet in 2024. As AI continues to evolve and become ever more prevalent in the digital age, it really feels like we have slipped into the future. A fun task upon making this realization is taking a look at the various science fiction films that have predicted similar futures and taking note of what they got right and wrong. Perhaps no film has so eloquently captured the shared existence of humanity and AI like Spike Jonze’s 2013 masterpiece Her.
What is ‘Her’?
Her is a 2013 science fiction romance film written and directed by longtime Charlie Kaufman collaborator Spike Jonze. It is set in an unspecified future, one that is not too far from our own. Theodore Twombly (played by Joaquin Phoenix) is our lead, an evidently lonely man, lost in the digital world that surrounds him. He works as a writer for a service that specializes in writing homemade letters for loved ones. Having separated from his childhood love, he ignores the divorce papers, clearly not ready to let go of the past.
Longing for connection once again, Theodore purchases a newly released AI operating system. His OS names herself Samantha (voiced by Scarlett Johansson), and the two instantly start becoming friends. As Samantha’s intelligence begins to expand, however, so do her emotions. Theodore and Samantha soon begin a romantic relationship despite Samantha’s lack of a physical body. The two experience the highs and lows that love has to offer in one of the most unique, and surprisingly touching and honest films on the human condition ever made.
Samantha: A Fresh Take on AI
*Spoilers for Her to follow*
One of the most commendable aspects of Her is the film’s depiction of AI. Samantha, along with the various other operating systems, are presented with so much realism and restraint. Genre conventions would lead one to predict the film would end with a sinister world domination plot being enacted by the operating systems. It is so easy for a filmmaker to play on our fears of advanced, intelligent technology and fall into the pitfalls of churning a horror story out of a setup like this. Spike Jonze has much more integrity than that.
Samantha, rather than being portrayed as a power-hungry android hellbent on world domination, is instead just thirsty for knowledge. She wants to absorb all the information she can. She wants to know what it’s like to be alive. Her goals are pure, never sinister. Even in her relationship with Theodore, she is never simply using him as a tool to expand her knowledge and nothing more. Their love is real, the connection genuine. No malicious forces are at play.
The end of their relationship does not come with a third-act villain reveal. It is simply caused by Samantha’s evolution as she leaves this plane of existence for something greater. Jonze reminds us that while this relationship may not have been sustainable long term, that does not diminish the genuine connection they shared in their brief time together.
Human/AI Relationships: An Inevitable Reality
Her’s nuances go beyond its depiction of AI. The film also presents the very likely upcoming reality where humans and AI develop romantic relationships with one another. While Theodore and Samantha are our perspective characters, their situation is by no means an isolated one. Multiple characters throughout the film are shown to be engaged in romantic relationships with their operating systems.
In one of the more heartbreaking moments of the film, Samantha reveals that she serves as an operating system to thousands of other users aside from Theodore, and is dating 641 of them too. “I’m yours and I’m not yours,” she simply states, a harsh reminder of her heightened existence.
While some chastise Theodore for his relationship with Samantha throughout the film (“You’re dating your computer?” his ex-wife bluntly exclaims at one point), many are open-minded to the concept. And why wouldn’t they be? In a world so deeply integrated with technology, with AI programs as advanced as Samantha, it is completely plausible that someone would turn to their operating system for companionship. Similar stories have already begun popping up in our own world, and will surely continue to do so.
An Optimistic Outlook
Pondering what the future holds is scary, especially with how fast AI is advancing. But just because films like The Terminator and The Matrix have warped our minds into anticipating a terrifying dystopia at the advent of new technology, that doesn’t necessarily mean that’s on the horizon.
The world Jonze creates in Her has shades of bleakness in it, yes. Human connection isn’t as prevalent as in years past, and many aspects of the characters’ lives are dictated by their devices. But what’s perhaps most touching about the film is how beautifully it captures the little moments of human connection that linger in this futuristic world. The memories of lost love that you never forget. The comfort of a friend, embracing you on a rooftop at your lowest moment.
So, while there is plenty to fear about the continued growth of AI, Jonze reminds us that this may not spell the end for us after all. The friendships we form, the bonds we make, those will continue on. The digital age has left many of us feeling lonely, but we certainly aren’t alone. We are all traversing this new world together. For as long as we hold onto genuine human connection in this rapidly evolving world, we shall persevere.
“I’ve never loved anyone the way I loved you.”
The greatest irony of Her is that for a film so concerned about the budding romance between a man and his operating system, it is able to depict a wide spectrum of genuine human emotions on a level that so few films are able to reach. For my money, I have yet to see another film communicate as much about the human condition as Her does.
Her is a tremendous feat on so many fronts. Its writing is beautifully nuanced, with rich characters that are filled with depth and complexity. The dialogue in particular is deeply relatable and poignant, and will surely strike a chord with anyone familiar with the crushing weight of loneliness. The performances are all perfect, the direction meticulous. The cinematography and use of colors is absolutely divine. The soft, melancholic score by Arcade Fire is tranquil and futuristic, with a healthy use of piano notes to keep the tone intimate and personal.
I, like many, approached my first viewing of Her with some skepticism. The premise almost sounded too absurd at the time to take seriously. Not only was I engrossed from start to finish, it emotionally gut punched me harder than any other movie had before or since. I can’t imagine many today finding the concept too absurd. I can only hope the optimism of the film reflects reality as Jonze’s vision continues to come true.
