Warner Brothers Pictures Joaquin Phoenix in a scene from “Her,†a new film by Spike Jonze.If you can’t get a date for the closing night of the New York Film Festival you can always bring your laptop. The Film Society of Lincoln Center said on Thursday that the closing-night gala selection for this year’s festival would be “Her,†a new feature written and directed by Spike Jonze about a man who becomes smitten with his computer’s operating system.
“Her†stars Joaquin Phoenix as Theodore Twombly, a character described as “a complex, soulful man who makes his living writing touching, personal letters for other people,†the Film Society said in a news release. “Heartbroken after the end of a long relationship,†the release continues, “he becomes intrigued with a new, advanced operating system, which promises to be an intuitive and unique entity in its own right.†The film also stars Rooney Mara and Amy Adams, as well as Scarlett Johansson, who provides the voice of “Samantha,†the operating system. “Her†will receive a theatrical release from Warner Brothers on Nov. 20.
In a statement Kent Jones, the director of programming and selection committee chair for the New York Film Festival, offered few additional specifics about “Her.†“To discuss even a little bit of the plot - let’s just say that it’s about lonely people and artificial intelligence - is to deprive first-time viewers of the opportunity of discovering it themselves,†he said.
This year’s New York Film Festival will run from Sept. 27 through Oct.13. Its opening-night selection is “Captain Phillips,†the thriller starring Tom Hanks, and its centerpiece selection is “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty,†starring and directed by Ben Stiller.
