Spike Jonze’s “Her” is a breathing piece of art. It’s rare to see soundtracks to be incorporated so well in a film. “Her” is an excellent example of a perfectly executed act. It’s something that lives with the film, and without it, I’m sure that it would feel empty and rather dull.
We can even go far by saying that the soundtrack is responsible for raising the film at a different height. Theodore Twombly ( Joaquin Phoenix) and his AI companion, Samantha, feel alive, especially with Scarlett Johansson taking the wheel for voice-acting.
Although the movie revolves around the romance between Theodore and Samantha, the world still offers a lot, allowing the characters to grow and have their own identity. This variety can also be compared with the film’s soundtrack.
It sure does pack a bunch from “Sleepwalker,” starting curiously and “Some Other Places,” which offers an experience, a combination of feelings that stems from love. The timing and length of the whole record are ideal, not letting any ends left untied.
“Photograph” is played momentarily, a material that matches the underlying tension reflected in the film. Every chord seems to be unending, yet a pause seems to happen right in the middle of the track. It transitioned into something bigger, perhaps faster than the chords we had our ears just moments ago. The playful use of notes, almost as if arpeggiated, is crucial for building a slow end.
“We Are All Leaving” is an honest and straightforward composition. The lonely atmosphere it invokes is more than enough to tell a story. It’s impressive how it managed to pull off something as brilliant as this. And although everything seemed to be unhopeful, the music is still able to produce an eerie yet artistic impression of modern loneliness.
With “Dimensions,” the audience is given another angle, perhaps a lens that they can see through. Progress is one thing I can quickly think of, and although it started slow, it was able to establish a concrete footing. “Loneliness #3 (Night Talking)” shares the same concept with “Dimensions.” However, space is produced lingered throughout the track, providing a cohesive streak of notes destined to collapse in its conclusion.
While these tracks are used as a device to further the narrative of the film “Her,” they are by their standalone masterpieces that deserve widespread recognition. The bittersweet and sometimes hopeful feelings they invoke suits the film well, perhaps even enough to establish the project to what it is now.
