Analysis Of Spike Jonze's Film Her

Spike Jonze’s film Her reveals the increasing complexity of intimate relationships concordant with the ever-growing presence of technology in our lives. In the frequent—almost excessive—moments of bright, lively red, we see the hope, desire, or even existence of intimacy. However, the few juxtaposed moments lacking red create a serious, threatening distinction between life with and without this sense of closeness and affinity. Through the powerful, effective use of mise-en-scène elements, tone, and off-screen space, the viewer gains insight into a possible future without intimacy as Sam and Theo’s relationship evolves and eventually corrodes. Even before we are exposed to Theo’s life-altering operating system Sam, the lonely and horny divorcee-to-be’s

As Theo raises his head from the ground, the red, glowing advertisement structure beams on to his face. Back in his apartment, we see the anxious, hopeful man—dressed, again, in red—download the system, and concurrently the subtle possibility for intimacy arises as his face lights up with red tones. The elements within the frame—the red shirt, red operating system, and red lamp—create a warm atmosphere reflective of Theo’s heightened hopes. Throughout the story, Theo carries the red, metallic operating system around with him. His hope for intimacy remains as he discovers the world with Sam. In a particularly romantic moment, Theo brings Sam to a fair where the tone is dominated by red—red signs, red lighting, red paint, red clothing. He holds Sam out in front of him, bringing her to the forefront of the frame through the use of shallow focus. We see a frame full of red, accentuated by the physical operating system right before our eyes, marking the growing presence of intimacy. As Theo first meets Sam, and at an epitomic moment in their growing relationship, the heightened desire for intimacy is revealed through the tone, lighting, and

Theo’s hope for intimacy occasionally fades in reminiscent moments of his past marriage to Catherine. Soon after meeting Sam, a melancholy scene of Theo in bed reveals his loss of hope. The low-key lighting restricts vision of his troubled face, and soon cuts to a flashback. In this moment of vulnerability, Theo dreams of the high point of his past relationship indicated by the presence of red chairs, pillows, and clothing. Catherine and Theo’s bubbly, loving relationship is accentuated by the warm tones in the frame. Though these bright, intimate flashbacks are juxtaposed against the equally gloomy and hopeless ones Theo later has. As Sam reads an urgent email pertaining to divorce papers served to Theo, his mind races back to moments of hardship within his past relationship. We see quick cuts of fighting, resentment, and anger highlighted by a lack of red, revealing the loss of intimacy between the couple as their relationship crumbles. The emotions felt through each flashback are revealed further as Theo finally meets with Catherine to sign the divorce documents. In a frame consisting of white, black, and cool tones, the loss of hope for intimacy is immediately present. Catherine reveals to Theo that the ease of his technology-based relationship is only a result of his inability to deal with what is “real” in a relationship. The