Spike Jonze's "Her" made its world premiere at the New York Film Festival on Saturday night, and the Warner Bros. release could factor into the Oscar race like no other film ever before. That's because Scarlett Johansson -- who co-stars with Joaquin Phoenix in the film, but doesn't appear onscreen -- gives such a remarkable performance that she could wind up with an historic Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.


Jonze's film, a near-future tale about a man (Phoenix) who falls in love with his computer operating system (voiced by Johansson), received high praise from many critics following its debut, with most singling out Johansson's voice work as exceptional.


"It's Johansson who pulls off the trickiest feat: She creates a complex, full-bodied character without any body at all. Detached from her lethally curvaceous figure, the actress' breathy contralto is no less seductive, but it also alights with tenderness and wonder as Samantha, both here on Earth and up there in the Cloud, voraciously devours literature, philosophy and human experience," wrote Variety critic Scott Foundas.


"Johansson's work in the film is lovely, and the best thing about the way she plays the part is that there's nothing calculated or 'sexy' about the way she approaches it. Removed from the undeniable sweater-girl appeal she packs when she's onscreen, forced to rely only on her voice, Johansson comes across as a warm, curious, vibrant personality. It's incredibly appealing," echoed HitFix critic Drew McWeeny. (HuffPost Entertainment was in the tank for Johansson as well.)


With regard to Johansson's Oscar bona fides, the issue becomes slightly tricky. As Deadline.com's Pete Hammond pointed out, non-traditional "flesh-and-blood" acting roles -- like Andy Serkis, who did revolutionary motion-capture work as Gollum in the "Lord of the Rings" films -- are normally ignored by Academy Awards voters. Johansson's performance appears somewhat different, however, as she's not helped by any technical tricks or animation.


For what it's worth, Warner Bros. and "Her" producer Megan Ellison are planning a full-court press for Johansson's awards campaign. Ellison tweeted this in response to Hammond's post on Sunday:





"Her" is out in theaters on Dec. 18. More on the film can be found here.



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  • Rooney Mara, Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Olivia Wilde, Spike Jonze


    Actors, from left, Rooney Mara, Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams and Olivia Wilde pose with director Spike Jonze, right, at the 51st annual New York Film Festival closing night screening of "Her" at Alice Tully Hall on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2013 in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)




  • Amy Adams, Olivia Wilde, Spike Jonze


    Actresses Amy Adams, left, and Olivia Wilde join director Spike Jonze on the red carpet for the 51st annual New York Film Festival closing night screening of "Her" at Alice Tully Hall on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2013 in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)




  • Rooney Mara, Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Olivia Wilde, Spike Jonze


    Actors, from left, Rooney Mara, Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams and Olivia Wilde pose with director Spike Jonze, right, at the 51st annual New York Film Festival closing night screening of "Her" at Alice Tully Hall on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2013 in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)




  • Closing Night Gala Presentation Of "Her" - Red Carpet - The 51st New York Film Festival


    NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 12: Actors Rooney Mara, Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Olivia Wilde, and director Spike Jonze attend the Closing Night Gala Presentation Of 'Her' during the 51st New York Film Festival at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center on October 12, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images)




  • Closing Night Gala Presentation Of "Her" - Arrivals - The 51st New York Film Festival


    NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 12: Actresses Amy Adams, Olivia Wilde and director Spike Jonze attend the Closing Night Gala Presentation Of 'Her' during the 51st New York Film Festival at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center on October 12, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Mireya Acierto/Getty Images)




  • Closing Night Gala Presentation Of "Her" - Red Carpet - The 51st New York Film Festival


    NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 12: Actors Rooney Mara, Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Olivia Wilde, and director Spike Jonze attend the Closing Night Gala Presentation Of 'Her' during the 51st New York Film Festival at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center on October 12, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images)




  • Rooney Mara, Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams


    Actors Rooney Mara, left, Joaquin Phoenix and Amy Adams attend the 51st annual New York Film Festival closing night screening of "Her" at Alice Tully Hall on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2013 in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)




  • Amy Adams


    Actress Amy Adams attends the 51st annual New York Film Festival closing night screening of "Her" at Alice Tully Hall on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2013 in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)




  • Amy Adams


    Actress Amy Adams attends the 51st annual New York Film Festival closing night screening of "Her" at Alice Tully Hall on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2013 in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)




  • Amy Adams


    Actress Amy Adams attends the 51st annual New York Film Festival closing night screening of "Her" at Alice Tully Hall on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2013 in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)




  • Closing Night Gala Presentation Of "Her" - Arrivals - The 51st New York Film Festival


    NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 12: Actress Amy Adams attends the Closing Night Gala Presentation Of 'Her' during the 51st New York Film Festival at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center on October 12, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Mireya Acierto/Getty Images)




  • Closing Night Gala Presentation Of "Her" - Arrivals - The 51st New York Film Festival


    NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 12: Actress Amy Adams attends the Closing Night Gala Presentation Of 'Her' during the 51st New York Film Festival at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center on October 12, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Mireya Acierto/Getty Images)




  • Closing Night Gala Presentation Of "Her" - Red Carpet - The 51st New York Film Festival


    NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 12: Actress Amy Adams attends the Closing Night Gala Presentation Of 'Her' during the 51st New York Film Festival at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center on October 12, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images)




  • Closing Night Gala Presentation Of "Her" - Arrivals - The 51st New York Film Festival


    NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 12: Actress Amy Adams attends the Closing Night Gala Presentation Of 'Her' during the 51st New York Film Festival at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center on October 12, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Mireya Acierto/Getty Images)




  • Closing Night Gala Presentation Of "Her" - Red Carpet - The 51st New York Film Festival


    NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 12: Actress Amy Adams attends the Closing Night Gala Presentation Of 'Her' during the 51st New York Film Festival at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center on October 12, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images)




  • Closing Night Gala Presentation Of "Her" - Arrivals - The 51st New York Film Festival


    NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 12: Actress Amy Adams attends the Closing Night Gala Presentation Of 'Her' during the 51st New York Film Festival at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center on October 12, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Mireya Acierto/Getty Images)




  • Closing Night Gala Presentation Of "Her" - Arrivals - The 51st New York Film Festival


    NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 12: Actors Rooney Mara, Joaquin Phoenix, and Amy Adams attend the Closing Night Gala Presentation Of 'Her' during the 51st New York Film Festival at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center on October 12, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Mireya Acierto/Getty Images)




  • Closing Night Gala Presentation Of "Her" - Red Carpet - The 51st New York Film Festival


    NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 12: Actress Amy Adams attends the Closing Night Gala Presentation Of 'Her' during the 51st New York Film Festival at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center on October 12, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images)




  • Closing Night Gala Presentation Of "Her" - Arrivals - The 51st New York Film Festival


    NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 12: Actors Rooney Mara, Joaquin Phoenix, and Amy Adams attend the Closing Night Gala Presentation Of 'Her' during the 51st New York Film Festival at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center on October 12, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Mireya Acierto/Getty Images)




  • Closing Night Gala Presentation Of "Her" - Arrivals - The 51st New York Film Festival


    NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 12: Actors Rooney Mara, Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, and Olivia Wilde attend the Closing Night Gala Presentation Of 'Her' during the 51st New York Film Festival at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center on October 12, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Mireya Acierto/Getty Images)




  • Closing Night Gala Presentation Of "Her" - Arrivals - The 51st New York Film Festival


    NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 12: Actress Amy Adams attends the Closing Night Gala Presentation Of 'Her' during the 51st New York Film Festival at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center on October 12, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Mireya Acierto/Getty Images)




  • Closing Night Gala Presentation Of "Her" - Arrivals - The 51st New York Film Festival


    NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 12: Actress Amy Adams attends the Closing Night Gala Presentation Of 'Her' during the 51st New York Film Festival at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center on October 12, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Mireya Acierto/Getty Images)




  • Closing Night Gala Presentation Of "Her" - Red Carpet - The 51st New York Film Festival


    NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 12: Actress Amy Adams attends the Closing Night Gala Presentation Of 'Her' during the 51st New York Film Festival at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center on October 12, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images)




  • Closing Night Gala Presentation Of "Her" - Red Carpet - The 51st New York Film Festival


    NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 12: Actors Rooney Mara, Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Olivia Wilde, and director Spike Jonze attend the Closing Night Gala Presentation Of 'Her' during the 51st New York Film Festival at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center on October 12, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images)




  • Olivia Wilde


    Actress Olivia Wilde attends the 51st annual New York Film Festival closing night screening of "Her" at Alice Tully Hall on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2013 in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)




  • Olivia Wilde


    Actress Olivia Wilde attends the 51st annual New York Film Festival closing night screening of "Her" at Alice Tully Hall on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2013 in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)




  • Olivia Wilde


    Actress Olivia Wilde attends the 51st annual New York Film Festival closing night screening of "Her" at Alice Tully Hall on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2013 in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)




  • Closing Night Gala Presentation Of "Her" - Arrivals - The 51st New York Film Festival


    NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 12: Actress Olivia Wilde attends the Closing Night Gala Presentation Of 'Her' during the 51st New York Film Festival at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center on October 12, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Mireya Acierto/Getty Images)




  • Closing Night Gala Presentation Of "Her" - Arrivals - The 51st New York Film Festival


    NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 12: Actress Olivia Wilde attends the Closing Night Gala Presentation Of 'Her' during the 51st New York Film Festival at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center on October 12, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Mireya Acierto/Getty Images)




  • Closing Night Gala Presentation Of "Her" - Red Carpet - The 51st New York Film Festival


    NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 12: Actress Olivia Wilde attends the Closing Night Gala Presentation Of 'Her' during the 51st New York Film Festival at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center on October 12, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images)




  • Closing Night Gala Presentation Of "Her" - Arrivals - The 51st New York Film Festival


    NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 12: Actress Olivia Wilde attends the Closing Night Gala Presentation Of 'Her' during the 51st New York Film Festival at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center on October 12, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Mireya Acierto/Getty Images)




  • Closing Night Gala Presentation Of "Her" - Arrivals - The 51st New York Film Festival


    NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 12: Actress Olivia Wilde attends the Closing Night Gala Presentation Of 'Her' during the 51st New York Film Festival at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center on October 12, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Mireya Acierto/Getty Images)




  • File-This file image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Joaquin Phoenix in a scene from the Spike Jonze film, "Her." Phoenix stars in the film as a recent divorcee who purchases and gradually falls in love with an artificial operating system named Samantha (voiced by Scarlett Johansson). The system, dubbed OS1, is something like a far more advanced version of the iPhone’s Siri, advertised as an “intuitive entity” and “a consciousness.” (AP Photo/ Warner Bros. Pictures)