Her is set in the near future where technology has developed to the point where people can carry their computers in their earpieces and talk to operating systems designed to develop a personality. So while some of the movie is dedicated to one man’s strange attraction to his OS, another part is exploring the unique setting in which such a scenario could take place.

The movie follows Theodore Twombly, a character whose socially awkward behavior and reserved demeanor is just what one would expect based on his name alone. Theodore is a writer for a company that produces “handwritten” love letters for members of a relationship to present to one another. Theodore just so happens to be caught in the middle of a divorce, leaving him a lonely husk of his former self. He spends his days writing letters for other happy couples and nights passing the time with video games and online chat rooms filled with other lonely people, until he discovers the OS 1.

This operating system, going by Samantha, takes on a personality of its own, befriending Theodore and performing chores for him just like any other artificially intelligent yet uncannily human OS would, until their relationship evolves into something more.

Her, while being as unusual as it is, still follows the typical romance movie format, so the relationship between Theodore and Samantha isn’t much of a hook by itself. What makes Her stand out is its exploration of the setting and its themes.

As Theodore introduces Samantha as an OS to the people in his life, the reactions range from the fascination of his closest friends, to the disgust from his ex-spouse, and even the indifference of his coworkers. The movie does a fine job of showing off the social implications and studying the characters surrounding Theodore’s situation, which happens to be one of the most interesting points.

Overall, Her is an average romance movie caught within a fascinating setting and unique perspective. If the latter doesn’t pique interest, then it’s not worth it for the former.