Spike Jonze: 'Her' writer/director talks reality and relationships

"Her" sounds like a gimmick. In not-too-distant-future Los Angeles, Joaquin Phoenix falls in love with an operating system, voiced by a never-seen-on-screen Scarlett Johansson. As an elevator pitch, it gets a grin. But as a film, it transcends quirk and mere novelty. "A Spike Jonze love story," read the promotional posters that feature the director's name next to Phoenix's face and penetrating blue eyes. That simple, classic description -- "love story" -- is the most accurate way to describe the...