Weighted from an 8.2 average · Why?
A tender, inventive love story that makes its odd premise feel achingly real.
Verdict tier Exceptional, critics broadly rave, on a scale of Unfavorable, Mixed, Recommended, Exceptional.
Not streaming in India
Critic consensus
Critical reception for Her is overwhelmingly positive, with most reviewers calling it one of the most affecting and original love stories in recent memory. Critics most commonly praised Spike Jonze's direction and screenplay for making an implausible premise feel emotionally authentic and believable, with several highlighting its poignant exploration of love, loneliness, and identity. Performances and the film's technical craft — including cinematography, music, and production design — also drew frequent admiration. The lone dissenting voice argued that Jonze's ambiguity about his protagonist's world and verbose writing ultimately failed to say anything substantial about the future it depicts.
1 not-rated review isn't plotted
The Monk Score is weighted from a plain average of 8.2 · how scores work
Positive = 6.5/10 and up · negative = below 5/10
AI-generated summary of 11 critic reviews · may contain errors
Report inaccuracyFrom the papers
Top critics first, then by score · not-rated last · updated
Top critic
Film review ·
Despite its ability to bring some onions near your eyes, it is never schmaltzy or saccharine. It's affecting and sublime, but never corny. It's moving, but never mawkish. And even in the film's most heartbreaking scene, the frame only contains a character looking at a wall. The fact that this was somehow achieved is incredible.
Top critic
Film review ·
Her is, by far, the best picture of the year, and miles ahead of the other Oscar nominated films, but those comparisons don't seem at all relevant when I sit back and smile (stupidly wide) at the impressions the film has left. For all its conceptual highs, Her is not a film about technology, though it is partly a cautionary fable. This is a film about love. A film to love.
Top critic
Film review ·
The cinematography, the minimalist music score, costumes and set décor are in sync with the dramaturgy, consistently, Thedore's shirts and jackets being thoroughly retro-chic. Don't think twice, Her is the ticket of the week.
Top critic
Film review ·
Her has a profound melancholy. It directly speaks to our harried, technology soaked lives and our many selves who are, at once, virtually over-connected and yet, emotionally unmoored. In places, this film feels long and stretched. But it shifts something within you. When Theodore's love affair ends, as it must, I cried.
Top critic
Film review ·
Crisply shot in bright hues, and hinting at a technologically-infused future, this is ultimately a deeply moving film about a romance that feels painfully authentic. Love, after all, is love...whether your partner is made of flesh and blood, or coding, or rubber like that doll in the Ryan Gosling film.
Film review ·
Working from his own original script, the former music-video whiz, Spike Jonze, has crafted one of the most poignant love stories in recent memory. An invigorating exploration of identity, bonding, loneliness and pain, Her almost restores our faith in American cinema.
Film review ·
This is a movie for everyone. You will smile and laugh, tear-up and be left speechless. Spike Jonze has made a movie which engages you on a human level. This in-depth look at the way people fall in love. We feel the rush of falling and flying at the same time. The connections we make along the way, the disagreements, the anger and the hurt that we feel are just a few of the things that this movie leaves us with. In the end you will ask yourself a few questions, about what makes us real.
Film review ·
Don't be surprised if you find yourself having conversations with Siri after watching Her! A futuristic take on love and longing Her is worth watching for its different premise.
Film review ·
It will be wonderful to have this film as an audio to listen to over and over again. But while it is showing at a theatre near you, do go and watch it.
Film review ·
Though you know this may be almost impossible in the real world but director Spike Jonze creates magic in front of your eyes and what may seem unbelievable when someone narrates it to you is soon believable when you are inside the cinema hall. Her is a lovely film which you just shouldn't miss!
Film review ·
"Her" is one of cinema's most affecting and heartfelt romances in modern times. It is worth a onetime viewing for its original concept and brilliant performances.
Film review ·
As cinema, it falls short of greatness because of Jonze's strange ambiguity about his protagonist's world; the verbose writing ultimately does not say or show anything substantial about the future Jonze projects.
From our readers
26 ratings · user score 7.8
The concept is superb. Technological power gaming with the protagonist. Complex for the masala lovers. But yeah, it is emotionally boring. Slow progress of action. Still the acting performence holds it. Glld to watch.
I love conventional romances because I am an eternal lover of beautiful dramas about love and longing. But there's a certain fatigue which I feel throughout if the love story is not told with a touch of delicate nuance- that's just why a beautifully romantic film like Imtiaz Ali's "Rockstar" cannot win when we compare it to his another film, the 2015 drama "Tamasha" (which in my opinion is his best work). The secret for finest romances lie in soothing background music, nice performances, warming chemistry and a heartfelt connection with the audience. Spike Jonze's "Her" doesn't just compellingly tick all the boxes, but it also deliciously entertains us, and just catches you by the collar and drives you into it's seductive charm. The film calculatingly benefits from the bounteous technical brilliance, opulent visual artwork and the effective next-generation relationship details. The film also has a terrific, proficiently written screenplay by Spike: I love the fact that he has written the film's script all alone, for her delivers some punchy freshness. I was especially drawn by the sexy hot sequences: but not because they were unapologetically pornographic, but because they work as yet another solid expressions of love, and some moments have been delivered with terrific humor. The wonderful cameos are lovely: Rooney Mara's Catherine does not have one false note, and there needs to be a special word for Spike's Alien Child. The directorial details are real best: the wonderful scene where Chris Pratt and his girlfriend go on an outing with Theodore and his Operating System girlfriend Samantha wonderfully observes the two as soulmates, and if not, soulful couples. The youthfully well-written letters recited by Joaquin's excellently performed Theodore are exceptionally filmed. Scarlett Johansson is my crush now as she lends a distinctive voice into Twombley's girl. One bit that didn't work so well was the subplot of Theodore being set up on a date and ending up talking stupid. Except that, there are subtle readings to the narrative that follows: take the moving scene where Samantha employs a living and talking human being, a woman, to be there medium for love and sex: is it the sound of the resonant future? Or the beautifully undone sequence of the messy climax, where all the operating systems shall be gone: that scene takes place in total chaos, and made me wonder: do the makers want to talk about Armageddon? The subtext here is consistently terrific, and the screenplay is the clear winner, because the finest writing makes you think, and this is a really beautiful narration, playing out like a sci-fi epic. I suggest that you watch Joaquin Phoenix's "Her". It's a disarming film that deserves every bit of what it shall earn in the award season. Don't miss it. 4.5/5.
Credits
Joaquin PhoenixTheodore Twombly
Scarlett JohanssonSamantha (voice)
Chris PrattPaul
Rooney MaraCatherine
Amy AdamsAmy
Matt LetscherCharles
Spike Jonze
Olivia WildeBlind date
Luka JonesMark Lewman
Portia DoubledayIsabella
Sam JaegerDr. Johnson
Megan Ellison
Vincent Landay
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