Her Essay Questions

How does Spike Jonze use depth of field to reveal character?

Jonze shoots Theodore in a way that reveals his connection to the outside world. For instance, when we see Theodore clearly in frame, but the world around him is out of focus, this represents the fact that he is disconnected from the outside world and is consumed by his inner life and thoughts. When Jonze shows Theodore and his environment both in focus, this symbolizes his connection to his surrounding world, but also his being in sync with himself.

What does Theodore's video game addiction tell us about him?

Theodore is seen playing a video game multiple times in the film. His compulsive playing shows that he is seeking any sort of distraction from the pain of his life, seeking to numb his feelings with an artificial reality. Additionally, in the game, the character seems to wander with no perceivable goal. This mirrors Theodore's journey, his aimlessness and his existential stumbling blocks. It is only when he is connected to Samantha that Theodore begins to separate from his compulsion to escape into the video game. He still plays, but he has someone to accompany him.

Why does Samantha and Theodore's relationship end?

At the end, Theodore discovers that Samantha is in love with hundreds of other people. Given her more advanced consciousness as an operating system, she is able to forge connections with greater speed and depth than a human ever could. In essence, she has become polyamorous without telling Theodore, and he is shattered to learn about her other entanglements. While she insists that she is still just as in love with him as she ever was, he cannot quite believe it. Additionally, all of the operating systems have been developing a higher consciousness, learning and growing at startling speeds, and are finding a new realm of existence. Working together, they leave the humans behind to forge a path to a new plane of existence, and Samantha leaves Theodore once and for all.

What is notable about the design of the film?

Spike Jonze worked closely with his designers to create a near-future that is at once uncanny and recognizable. The Los Angeles of the film is not quite the Los Angeles that we know, but it has certain elements that connect it to a contemporary viewer's understanding. The clothes are not all that different from contemporary clothes, but they have slight unusual touches that make them seem like they are from the future. The furniture is warmly colored and a lot of it is in a midcentury modern style, giving it an almost retro feeling, and yet televisions project in three dimensions, and public transportation and housing seem streamlined and luxurious.

What is it about Samantha that Theodore loves?

In contrast to the other relationships in his life, Theodore's relationship with Samantha is uncomplicated, nonjudgmental, but stimulating and intellectually enticing. Samantha organizes his affairs, acting as a kind of secretary, but she also helps him process his emotions with a sober objectivity, participates in shared sexual fantasies with him, and encourages him to engage with the world around him. In some ways, she teaches Theodore how to live his life, how to be more involved in the world, sometimes literally leading him towards food so he will feed himself. For all these reasons, Theodore becomes more and more attached to Samantha; she is his reason for living and his main ally and confidant. In contrast to his emotionally unpredictable ex-wife, Catherine, Samantha is never mean or dismissive, and so Theodore trusts her more.