--- title: "Her: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/her/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/her" critics_score: 80 critics_reviews: 20 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Her (2013): what the critics said Critics' score 80 from 20 reviews: 17 positive, 2 mixed, 1 negative. Most critics welcome Her as a funny, tender romance that makes its technological premise emotionally credible. Praise centres on Joaquin Phoenix’s vulnerable performance and Scarlett Johansson’s voice work, which give the relationship between a lonely man and an operating system convincing intimacy. The reviews also value Spike Jonze’s sympathetic direction, the plausible near-future setting and his willingness to explore loneliness and companionship without reducing the story to a warning about technology. The spread is wide, though reservations come from a small minority and concern sentimentality, self-consciousness and the premise’s limits. Some otherwise enthusiastic reviews find flaws in how the film brings its ideas together. The Independent sees charm but also a conventional love story shaped by male wish-fulfilment. The New Yorker offers the sharpest dissent, finding the sweetness artificial and the account of human connection unconvincing: qualities most critics read as sincere become, here, reasons to distrust the romance. ## Little White Lies — David Jenkins Rating 3/5/5. 14 February 2014. Spike Jonze's best film to date is a whimsical futuro-romance that evolves into hard sci-fi, tracing classic Hollywood love stories into a pastel future. It singles out the film's human and timely take on love, companionship and obsession despite its technological premise. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/her) ## Slant Magazine Rating 4/4. 13 October 2013. The review praises the film as remarkable and rich in details about the human condition. It singles out Phoenix's poignant performance and Jonze's sympathetic embrace of the characters' emotions. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/her/) ## IndieWire — Eric Kohn Rating A. 13 October 2013. The review calls it one of the best studio movies of the year, praising its weird and wonderful technological romance. It highlights Jonze's direction and the film's emotional depth. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/culture/review-why-spike-jonzes-weird-and-wonderful-technological-romance-her-is-one-of-the-best-studio-movies-of-the-year-34001/) ## Vulture — David Edelstein Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 9 January 2014. The critic calls it one of the best films in years and a love story both daft and amazingly lucid. The evolving relationship and Johansson's voice performance are singled out for praise. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2013/12/movie-review-her.html) ## Evening Standard — David Sexton Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 28 July 2014. The critic calls it a brilliantly reimagined rom-com that is truly touching and outrageously funny. Joaquin Phoenix and Scarlett Johansson's performances are singled out for making the film work so well. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/her-film-review-joaquin-phoenix-impresses-in-spike-jonzes-brilliantly-reimagined-romcom-9127663.html) ## Film Comment — Jonathan Romney Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). Jonze's tender, wry film depicts a man falling for an AI operating system voiced by Scarlett Johansson, exploring intimacy and consciousness in a near-future world. The critic praises the performances, especially Phoenix and Johansson, the inventive premise, and the film's elegant, moving take on human-AI relationships without heavy-handed warnings. [Read the review](https://www.filmcomment.com/her-spike-jonze-review/) ## Empire — Ian Nathan Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 1 October 2013. The critic deems it Jonze’s most significant film yet, a sweet, smart, silly and serious work for our times. The witty extrapolations on current memes and the health-check on our digitally prescribed era are singled out. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/55ce26a9de95cf0744c54143-review/) ## Los Angeles Times — Kenneth Turan Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 18 December 2013. The critic calls the film a smart, daring, and provocative love story that functions as both entertainment and subtle warning. He singles out the exceptional voice work by Johansson and Jonze’s nerve in fully exploring the implications of the premise. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/moviesnow/la-et-mn-her-review20131218-story.html) ## Radio Times — Dave Aldridge Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). This terrific film from writer/director Spike Jonze is funny, romantic, touching and thought-provoking, demonstrating his talent for mature and magical film-making. It singles out the central relationship between Phoenix's lonely writer and Johansson's seductive OS voice as both believable and poignant. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-awqkam/her/) ## Sight and Sound — Nick James Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 14 February 2014. Jonze's film is a marvellously unsettling cybernautical romance that nails the authentic feel of internet-era intimacy while diagnosing modern loneliness. The critic praises Phoenix's transcendent performance and the film's sharp insights into technology and relationships. [Read the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/film-week-her) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Todd McCarthy Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 12 October 2013. Festival review. The critic describes the film as a probing, inquisitive work of a very high order that ponders the nature of love in the encroaching virtual world. Phoenix's performance is singled out as enchantingly open and vulnerable. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/her-film-review-648073/) ## Time Out — Cath Clarke Rating 4/5. 11 February 2014. Her is a keeper of a film, quietly dazzling as a history of one man's romantic life in a near-future where dating your OS becomes normal. The critic highlights the credible intimacy between Theodore and Samantha and Phoenix's sad, puppy-doggish performance. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/her) ## Screen Daily Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 12 December 2013. Festival review. Jonze's film is a funny and touching romantic drama with a beautifully sustained lead performance from Joaquin Phoenix that takes the quirkiness of his early work in a more emotional direction. The critic praises the sustained central relationship and its appeal to critics and hip audiences alike. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/her/5064643.article) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 13 February 2014. The critic finds the film distinctive and seductive but wishes he liked it more, noting it is self-conscious and the ending sentimental. He singles out the surrogate scene for fusing romance, disorientation and absurdity. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/feb/13/her-review) ## The Independent Fi1m's normalised score 55/100 (inferred from the text). 14 February 2014. The critic finds the film charming but too in love with its own cute premise to notice its flaws, resulting in a soft focus. It is critiqued as a conventional Hollywood love story and male wish-fulfilment that feels flat and unreal. [Read the review](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/her-film-review-spike-jonze-presents-a-vision-of-the-future-too-cute-to-compute-9127363.html) ## The New Yorker — Richard Brody Fi1m's normalised score 25/100 (inferred from the text). 19 December 2013. The critic dismisses the film as a facile, sentimental cautionary tale that offers warnings where none are needed and relies on psychobabble. He singles out the lack of genuine human connection and the overly sweet, artificial tone as major flaws. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/richard-brody/aint-got-no-body) ## The New York Times — Manohla Dargis Rating Critic’s Pick. 18 December 2013. The critic praises Jonze’s exquisite, modest-scale romance between a man and an operating system as plausible and deeply sincere. She singles out the film’s hushed beauty, tactile details, and the empathetic voice performance for particular note. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/18/movies/her-directed-by-spike-jonze.html) ## Variety — Scott Foundas 13 October 2013. Festival review. The critic hails Jonze’s singular, wryly funny, and emotionally mature consideration of technology and relationships as his richest work yet. He singles out the plausible near-future vision of Los Angeles and the complex, body-less performance by Johansson. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2013/film/reviews/film-review-her-1200710608/) ## Collider — Matt Goldberg Rating A. 18 December 2013. The critic praises Jonze's delicate handling of the premise of a man falling in love with an AI, highlighting the tender, funny, and touching love story and the head-spinning existential questions it raises. He singles out the performances of Joaquin Phoenix and Scarlett Johansson for making the unconventional relationship relatable and emotional. [Read the review](https://collider.com/her-movie-review/) ## /Film — Germain Lussier Rating 8.5/10. 22 November 2013. The critic praises Jonze's original and emotionally deep exploration of love and technology through a man falling for an AI OS, highlighting the philosophical questions and strong performances, but notes a slight stumble in bringing everything together cohesively. [Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/529026/her-review-spike-jonzes-beautiful-original-look-at-humanity-and-love/) ## The Wrap Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 12 October 2013. The critic finds that Spike Jonze's bittersweet love story succeeds where his prior films fell short, balancing ambition with emotional payoff in a plausible near-future setting. The review highlights the film's intelligent exploration of relationships and strong lead performances, especially Joaquin Phoenix and Scarlett Johansson's voice work. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/review-shes-virtual-cant-everything/) ## Den of Geek — Matt Edwards Rating 4/5. 14 February 2014. Spike Jonze's Her is a flawed but very good film about a man forming a genuine relationship with an AI OS. The critic singles out the positive, inventive approach to technology and relationships, strong performances especially from Phoenix, and the bright, funny tone with sci-fi elements. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/her-review/) ## Digital Spy — Simon Reynolds Rating ★★★★☆. 13 February 2014. Spike Jonze delivers a poignant, moving love story for the Apple age with Joaquin Phoenix as a man falling for his OS voiced by Scarlett Johansson. The critic highlights the balance of humour and heart, Phoenix's sensitive performance, and the relevant exploration of technology pushing people apart. [Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/review/a532942/her-review-spike-jonzes-love-story-for-the-apple-age/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/her.md