Teenage boys may not be the most fervent romantic movie fans, but Spike Jonze has these two reviewers of his recent lovey-dovey flick “Her” singing its praise.

“Her” deals with Theodore Twombly (Joaquin Phoenix), a recently divorced writer who develops a romantic relationship with the personalized artificial intelligence of his operating system, Samantha (voiced by Scarlett Johansson). Theodore is seen as quite emotional, not only in his job as a writer of love letters for others, but also in his feelings toward his ex-wife and friends. Throughout the film, Theodore must deal with finalizing his divorce and coming to terms with the unconventional nature of his love life. Theodore also creates ingenuitive ways to connect with Samantha, either through a pocket camera which allows her to “experience” what he sees or a weekend spent at a romantic cabin.

Johansson faces a unique challenge in conveying emotion without even appearing in the movie and steps up wonderfully. Without expression and movement, Johansson portrays romance, joy and pain in meaningful ways while avoiding overdoing the narration. She plays her computerized role in a profoundly human way, playing off Phoenix with emotional complexity and candid interaction.

While Samantha’s adventurousness and outgoing nature may prove odd for a computer, these elements draw the introverted Theodore out of his mopey shell. Phoenix, like Johansson, portrays authentic interaction without compromising credibility or truthfulness in his acting. Each viewer undoubtedly relates to Theodore in some way or another, whether in his hesitance to commit to challenges or simply his desire to share experiences with those meaningful to him. Herein lies the true power of “Her” – it goes beyond simply portraying emotion and connects to viewers in a personal manner.

Johansson’s performance elicits many questions about the meaning and purpose behind relationships, whether they be sexual or emotional. Theodore relies both on Samantha and his friend Amy (Amy Adams) in expressing his frustrations or feelings. At one point, Theodore and Samantha go as far as to hire a surrogate to consummate their relationship, and the awkward encounter in this scene questions the need for physicality or contact in acquiring love.

Music assumes paramount importance in the couple’s relationship, and Jonze brings this element to the movie on a more broad basis. With tracks from Arcade Fire, featured in Jonze’s previous film “Where the Wild Things Are,” and a duet from Phoenix and Johansson themselves, the original score cuts as deep emotionally as the actual acting and plot. In extending the film’s honesty and sincerity to its soundtrack, Jonze bolsters the movie’s tone with elegant simplicity.

As Amy says, “Falling in love is a crazy thing to do. It’s like a socially acceptable form of insanity.” “Her” effectively raises this theme throughout the film, asking viewers how they can balance personal desires or expectations without letting others down. It is in this setting that Theodore’s seemingly odd or eccentric relationship with Samantha can be taken as something of beauty; together they rely on each other for emotional support and find joy in the mundane. However, Samantha’s underlying desire to reach out to Theodore, either through a surrogate or other forms, shows the necessity of physical contact of some form in relationships. As the viewer is left to ponder these questions and meanings on their own, each can relate in some way to one of the many relationships presented throughout the film.

Jonze, well-known for films such as “Being John Malkovich” and “Where the Wild Things Are” certainly meets expectations in “Her.” The use of bright colors and scenery, in addition to authentic acting, truly presents the viewer with the dual nature of relationships, both good and bad. Furthermore, the score of the film, ranging from Samantha’s composed classic pieces to more modern and hip music truly draw the audience into their relationship and feelings. “Her” is a movie for anyone, provided they can handle the emotional and deep messages of the film.