High Fidelity (2000) Review

My Rating: 8/10

Directed by: Stephen Frears

Starring: John Cusack, Jack Black, Joan Cusack, Tim Robbins and others.

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Runtime: 107 Minutes

High Fidelity is a film with entertaining fourth-wall breaking narration about a guy’s messed up life and a gripping plot. The film opens with the narration to the camera, with the depressed Rob Gordon (John Cusack). Jack Black, Tim Robbins and Joan Cusack, the voice of Jessie from Toy Story, also star in the film. I enjoyed most of the characters and the story was very appealing. It’s all about him trying to get himself normal by catching up with his 5 ex-relationships. The film is also filled with hilarious humour, and naturally Jack Black brought laughs to the screen. The film covers relationships, sex, friends you hate, a job you hate, and commitment, which gives it that edge of realism.

Rob sorting out his Records.

Plot:

Rob Gordon, the middle aged depressed music record collector, with serious music knowledge. Rob works at a record shop and usually stays there to hang out with his two employees, Barry (Jack Black) and the quirky and nervous Vince (Chris Rehmann). Well at the beginning of the film we learn he has problems as we see his apartment room full of records as if it were a record shop. We see his girlfriend walking out on him. He then begins to make a top 5 list of his top 5 ex-girlfriends the audience. He then starts to recall his past relationships to try and find out ‘what it all means’, at his failed romances. So the film is a quest for Rob to find out what it is he keeps doing wrong. The process finds him being dragged, kicking and screaming, into adulthood.

The First Movie Moments:

The first thing we see in the film (excluding the vinyl record playing) is Rob listening to music with headphones on, and he says “What came first, the music or the misery?”. He then goes into a deeper explanation and straight away you know this is a character with problems. Then we see his girlfriend, Laura moving out on him. It was a very interesting and gripping way to start the film.

Romance along the way:

I guess you can call this one a ‘biting’ romance and this guy really has some problems, John Cusack acted terrifically as Rob and really brought his sometimes boring attitude to play. It was nice to see all his relations and his life really is complex and messed up. Rob’s narration takes us along on his romantic recollection and shows us more about why he is like the way he is. He also talks about his current ex, Laura in a very nice way, making a ‘Top 5 good things’ about her. Laura leaves him and begins going out with the Zen freak upstairs called Ian (Tim Robbins), also know as Ray. Rob also tells us how he and Laura would hear Ian having ex with various people at times at night. 

Ian at the record store.

The Record Shop:

The record shop seems to be the social area for our three characters, Rob, Barry and Vince. They have almost political-like fights over music, and talk about everything music. They also get quite aggressive about the music. It’s very funny to see Jack Black in his usual energetic acting performances. The really funny thing is when Rob is narrating, he says to the camera after having an argument with Barry and Vince, “I can’t get rid of them. I hired them or three days a week and then they started showing up every day. And that was four years ago”. It just makes them seem like pain-in-the-ass friends.

(From the Left to right) Vince, Rob and Barry in the record shop.

Rob’s Attitude:

John Cusack does excellent as Rob, the depressed, melancholy and mentally confused. At first he seems a boring asshole, who takes things out on people and constantly defends himself without ever apologising. But as he goes on, we learn the reasons of his attitude, and he is just a great character. Throughout the film, he barely smiles, often smokes when he is pissed, and a misunderstood record collector. We soon learn that he hasn’t changed one bit in several years –say his girlfriend Laura-, while everyone else has.  Cusack has really nailed the role, and it’s a very believable one

Overview:

I really liked the humour in the film. Especially the scene with Barry at the start of the film, when he does some sexual mime to the song, “I’m walking on sunshine”. The whole film has situations middle aged people can probably relate to, with covering relationships, commitment and even having a job you hate. I haven’t much to say about this film, despite how good it is. I loved how the film started, and I loved how the film started. Overall it is an enjoyable journey about the life of Rob, with entertaining narrative, and fresh characters.

Ratings:

Story: 88%

Characters: 86%

Emotion: 83%

Visual: 79%

Music: 82%

Overall: 8.4/10