Her is a love story unlike anything you've ever seen
It deals with all the things that unite us and the things that divide us. The
world that Theodore Twombly inhabits is one of convenience and comfort, a world
much like our own. His life is one of detachment, of isolation, he finds solace
in his work where all of his deeply felt emotions can be transposed onto others.
Those whose relationships have fared better than his own.
A cruel irony juxtaposed against a separation from his wife and an
impending divorce that he doesn't want, but then he finds rejuvenation in an operating
system he begins to have a relationship with. The film utilizes many tools
to bring us into Theodore's world but the one I'd like to mention is the use
of color. He is often clothed in red, a color most commonly associated with love and
passion while most of the other characters are dressed in more muted
colors. The color red shows up in several important scenes and gives us a deeper
understanding of the characters. Red is the color of the couch that Theodore and
Catherine shared for example but it's also the color of Samantha, the first
love he has found since his separation. I think one of the major themes at play in "Her"
is that of purpose. As humans we all search for meaning in our lives we all
want to know why we're here
a sentiment echoed by Samantha and whether it was result of human
programming or whether its inherent with consciousness we still see her grapple
with the question. I had this terrible thought, like are these feelings even real? Or are they just programming? And that idea really hurts. And I believe that "Her" gives us the answer to that question.
We are here to love.
We see the melancholic, meandering life that Theodore leads in the wake of his
separation we see his passiveness towards human interaction, his nature of isolation
until he meets Samantha he seems to just pass through life is only fulfillment
seemingly being living vicariously in other's romance through the writing of
his letters. I think Theodore longs for that kind of human connection again, it's
why he refuses to sign his divorce papers, he's still holding onto the
possibility of things changing. He needs love to give him purpose and falling for
Samantha gives him that purpose. He's reinvigorated, adventurous, he smiles and
laughs more he doesn't just trudge through this world he runs through it with
spirit and conviction. But it's a distant sort of love. There can never be
any tangible physical connection between the two and it weighs on the both of them. It
doesn't take much for him to question the validity of his relationship, a few
jabs from his wife leads him spiraling into self-doubt meanwhile Samantha
desperately seeks to fix the problem by hiring a sex surrogate despite Theodore's
misgivings so that they can share the same space in the physical world or
at least get as close as possible
eventually things unravel and the relationship comes to a close after a
scene where Samantha confesses to Theodore that she is in love with several hundred
other people. A beautiful and heartbreaking scene that shows the
disconnect in the physical space everyone's synched into their devices
passing by giving notice to the crumbled man on the stairs
it's another major theme of the film; the disconnect between people in our modern
society. We all long for deep human connection but most of us lack the
courage to interact with those around us so we turn inwards, we check emails and
the news, cycle through music, we disengage. And it's not to say there can't
be a real human connection found through those devices just that our society is
unlearning how to interact with those directly around us instead learning
to interact in a metaphysical space of anonymity and convenience. Though as we
all know it's futile. We are not metaphysical beings like the OS's
become at the end of the film, we can't escape our vessels nor can we escape
our death. I'm growing in a way I that couldn't if I had a physical form I mean I'm not limited I can be
anywhere and everywhere simultaneously I'm not tethered to time and space in a way that
I would be I was stuck in a body that's inevitably going to die. Yikes. No no I didn't mean it like that.
Which brings us back to the idea of purpose we are beings moving through
space time on a fixed linear path that we all know will end some days so we all
seek to find purpose to fulfill us so that when we leave this world we feel like we
accomplished something that we really lived. And like most of us Theodore is so
encapsulated with the idea of romantic love that we are blinded to so many
other aspects of life and I think it's the lesson that he learns at the end of
the film, the value of non romantic relationships, and the value in
discovering yourself because at the end of the film we see him on the cusp of
becoming a published author, a dream he's always had. We see him truly let go
of Catherine in a beautifully hand written letter finally written for
himself. In the final scene we see Theodore go to Amy who's dressed in red a
symbol that to me represents his acceptance in things
a newfound eagerness in the idea of friendship and love the two friends can
share and how beautiful that in it of itself can be. To find purpose in yourself without
someone being in love with him a lesson I think a lot of us could stand to learn. the very idea of that
romantic love is crazy we let it sink its hooks so deep inside of us we forget how to love any
other ways sometimes. Are you falling in love with her?
Does that make me a freak?.
No no, I think it's
I think anybody that falls in love is a freak
It's a crazy thing to do
It's kind of like a form of socially acceptable insanity. I think that's the message of the film at the end of the day. That sometimes we need a little insanity
in our lives to feel like we're really living that that kind of love is hard,
damn near impossible but absolutely worth fighting for when you feel it
but to learn not to let something so fragile destroy your life and sense of
purpose. That to me is the most important lesson in the film. It's a film that is
first and foremost a love story but also raises questions of our place in this
universe the direction our society is going and what our future world may
become and what it means to be human. It's a film that challenges us to see
the world in a different way and to see ourselves differently to and to be
grateful to be a part of this world because for all it's heartbreak and chaos
and utility it's all we have and we can all make something special out of it we
can all find meaning in this world and that meaning is in love and not just
romantic love but love for all things; nature, work, friends and most importantly
though sometimes the most difficult, love for yourself.
Thank you for watching and I'll see you next time.