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High Fidelity [2000]


RRP: £17.99
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Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review

Transplanted from England to the not-so-mean streets of Chicago, the screen adaptation of Nick Hornby's cult-classic novel High Fidelity emerges unscathed from its Americanisation, idiosyncrasies intact, thanks to John Cusack's inimitable charm and a nimble, nifty screenplay (co-written by Cusack). Early-thirtysomething Rob Gordon (Cusack) is a slacker who owns a vintage record shop, a massive collection of LPs, and innumerable top-five lists in his head. At the opening of the film, Rob recounts directly to the audience his all-time top-five breakups-- which doesn't include his recent falling out with his girlfriend Laura (Iben Hjejle), who has just moved out of their apartment. Thunderstruck and obsessed with Laura's desertion (but loath to admit it), Rob begins a quest to confront the women who instigated the aforementioned top-five breakups to find out just what he did wrong.

Low on plot and high on self-discovery, High Fidelity takes a good 30 minutes or so to find its groove (not unlike Cusack's Grosse Pointe Blank), but once it does, it settles into it comfortably and builds a surprisingly touching momentum. Rob is basically a grown-up version of Cusack's character in Say Anything (who was told "Don't be a guy--be a man!"), and if you like Cusack's brand of smart-alecky romanticism, you'll automatically be won over (if you can handle Cusack's almost non-stop talking to the camera). Still, it's hard not to be moved by Rob's plight. At the beginning of the film he and his coworkers at the record store (played hilariously by Jack Black and Todd Louiso) seem like overgrown boys in their secret clubhouse; by the end, they've grown up considerably, with a clear-eyed view of life. Ably directed by Stephen Frears (Dangerous Liaisons), High Fidelity features a notable supporting cast of the women in Rob's life, including the striking, Danish-born Hjejle, Lisa Bonet as a sultry singer/songwriter, and the triumphant triumvirate of Lili Taylor, Joelle Carter, and Catherine Zeta Jones as Rob's ex-girlfriends. With brief cameos by Tim Robbins as Laura's new, New Age boyfriend and Bruce Springsteen as himself. --Mark Englehart, Amazon.com


A very good movie.
Review date: 2008-05-11 Rating: 8 out of 10

Now this film did take me a while to warm up to. The first two times I tried to watch it I was rather bored, though whether this is because I'm a woman, I'm not entirely sure. However the third time I watched it all the way through, and it honestly blew my mind. Cusack's performance's in movies are generally underrated, but here he generates utter brilliance, so much so that he kind of ruined the book for me, as I kept hearing his American voice for an English character.

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Reviews


Doesn't quite make my top 5 films, but it's still good.
Review date: 2008-05-02 Rating: 8 out of 10

A bloke flick - exploring the emotional wreckage of a man coming to terms with rejection. We've seen it many a time with a female lead, but now we get to see it from a mans point of view.

Cussack brings energy to a role which is pretty, well... unenergetic. This is a slow burning film, and you often don't realise that you're enjoying it until it's finished. It's a cultural gem with top five lists galore and some fantastic music - but being set in a music shop, I suppose you expect that.

Rob (Cussack) provides narration throughout the film, so we always get an insight as to what he is thinking, and perhaps more importantly; what he is feeling. His story is an interesting one, although not particularly eventful, it is insightful. The comedy isn't thick and fast, but when it's there, it's good. All men can identify with Rob, even if they haven't had the same sort experiences, they will no doubt have had the same insecurities at some point.

People often say that any film with Jack Black in is bound to be a good one - I'm a Jack Black sceptic though and I can't say I enjoy all of his roles. But here he shines. His over-the-top socially inept 'Barry' with with holier than thou philosophy on music provides many of the films lighter moments, and along with Dick (Todd Louiso), Rob has a comedy duo to counter his dark lamenting.

So, in a nutshell: an emotional journey exposing the mindset of a thirty-something male who is dumped. Slow but steady, this is a film that deals with love, loss, and relationships - but feels blokey with it. The film never delves into the mushy depths of cheesiness, it keeps it's dignity and the slick writing oils the tracks to ensure you never lose interest.

Great film at a great price
Review date: 2008-02-09 Rating: 8 out of 10

John Cusack plays the role of a somewhat "failed" record shop owner here, where the film surrounds what he considers to be his 'Top 5' failed girl-friends.. for various reasons!

To some, this may seem a particularly long and drawn out film. However, I find it quite fitting that the steady pace of the film reflects the lives of the main characters, including a suprise role from Jack Black as an obsessive record-holic who would have a break down if you dissed the wrong rock bands! The acting is smooth and very funny at times, though I think the first half the film beats the latter.

Overall, this is a good cheap buy for when your stuck for something to watch. I've always admired John Cusack for taking on such odd roles, and I can't imagine anyone better to be in this film than John himself!

my two pennies worth
Review date: 2007-03-15 Rating: 10 out of 10

high fidelity, originally a book by nick hornby, follows the break up of a relationship between rob and laura mainly through the eyes of rob. rob runs and owns a record shop, a real record shop not a virgin mega store or anything. the film opens with rob asking if people are miserable because they listen to pop music or do they listen to pop music because they are miserable, the major thing in robs life and the film is songs. the two major comic sources within the film are dick and barry, barry is an over the top manic, loud and outrageous assistant at the shop and dick is the polar opposite to barry and yet manages to be just as funny. the two assistants, dick and barry seem to spend their time working in the shop and trying to find songs for every moment in life. one of the main things the staff do is compile top five lists of things and songs about things. beyond the shop rob is searching for the answers to why laura has left him and to weather he is the reason that his relationships seem to fail. this is a serious subject matter and one that is rarely explored in film, being from a male point of view.

there is an amazing cast including joan cusack and jack black (as barry) now i know that for some the mere mention of jack black is a good reason to avoid the film but he is on fine form, not over bearing or too annoying.
the deleated scenes on the disk are really good, i personally cant see why the one with the shop lifting skater kids was scrapped but i would imagine it was a time issue and that scene was 4 minutes that could be skipped without affecting the plot in any way.


Top 5 John Cusack films...
Review date: 2006-10-21 Rating: 8 out of 10

This definitely makes the Top 5 John Cusack films and here's why:

It's very much a dark comedy, as it features tragedy used for comedy at the expense of Rob, played by Cusack.

Rob has been dumped by his girlfriends and in true emo-style he blames himself and looks back at his top 5 break ups, along with other top 5's in-between, as he tries to come to terms with it.

He is a very likeable-loser but you can't fault him for all the relationship faults in his life and as he looks back he has been very much a victim of circumstance and having the wrong girlfriends. Here lies the tragedy.

The comedy is shown through his anal ways of organising things, such as the genre cataloguing of his LPs etc, and his 'chalk and cheese' shop assistants.

I liked this film because on the surface it's a conventional trashy one-dimensional American comedy like so many others...but, thankfully, Cusack delivers enough depth in his geeky character to make up for this and all in all a film that should be in everyone's collection, even if it's just for a one time viewing.


Language aid:

Dark Comedy - comedy characterized by grim or satiric humour, the satire lies in Rob's way of looking at his break-ups

Tragedy - character(s) are subject to dramatic treatment of misfortunes (such as Rob's break-ups) because of the character(s) flaws.

Emo - abbreviation of an: emotionally driven hardcore punk, or one who over uses their emotions as an instable source of stability. Rob is emotionally unstable as he focuses on the emotional events of his break-ups to try and stable himself and accept the break ups but in doing so becomes unstable.

Likeable-Loser - a loser (someone who is a failure largely to the fault of his own doings) who in being a loser evokes empathic or sympathetic feelings.

Trashy - something (in terms of a film) offering no more entertainment value than to endure the audience to it's cheap and inferior quality and lacking substance.

One-Dimensional - something lacking and sort of death depth or any real, meaningful, development.

Geeky - A geek is a person who is fascinated, perhaps obsessively, with an object of compulsion, (typically technology) in regards to the film - records.

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
John Cusack
Lisa Bonet
Todd Louiso
Jack Black
Iben Hjejle

Creators:
John Cusack (Primary Contributor)
John Cusack (Writer)
Iben Hjejle (Primary Contributor)
Alan Greenspan (Producer)
D.V. DeVincentis (Producer)
D.V. DeVincentis (Writer)
Nick Hornby (Writer)
Scott Rosenberg (Writer)
Steve Pink (Writer)

Director(s):

Recording label: Touchstone Home Video
Manufacturer: Touchstone Home Video
EAN: 5017188881579
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: PAL, Widescreen,
Release date: 2001-05-07
Number of discs: 1
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Audience rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 109 minutes
Theatrical release date: 2000-03-31
Language: Danish (Original Language)
Language: English (Original Language)

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