5 Joaquin Phoenix Films That Are Better Than Joker
2. Her (2013)
One of the best films of 2013, Her reminded people that they didn’t have to be in love with their operating system to find a movie about a man falling in love with his OS romantic. Phoenix has rarely played as sweet a character as the wonderfully-named Theodore Twombly. A vulnerable divorcee in future LA, Theodore finds love again when he gets a virtual assistant, Samantha, bolstered with artificial intelligence, voiced to charming perfection by Scarlett Johansson.
A visionary work by Spike Jones, Her showcases his best directorial qualities. It takes an absurd premise and makes it seem plausible and compelling. It’s impossible not to become emotionally invested in Theodore’s new relationship with Samantha. The idea of a man falling in love with a computer sounds like a horror plot, instead, it’s a sweet romantic-drama that touches your heart.
It’s a shame that we haven’t seen Phoenix in a similar role since. Her demonstrates his ability to play a convincing romantic lead when unburdened of his usually psychological baggage.