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High Fidelity (2000) 7.6
Ratings:
7.6/10 from 124,185 users
Metascore: 79/100
Reviews: 584 user | 157 critic | 35 from Metacritic.com Rob, a record store owner and compulsive list maker, recounts his top five breakups, including the one in progress. Director:Stephen Frears |
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| John Cusack | ... | ||
| Iben Hjejle | ... | ||
| Todd Louiso | ... | ||
| Jack Black | ... | ||
| Lisa Bonet | ... | ||
| Catherine Zeta-Jones | ... | ||
| Joan Cusack | ... | ||
| Tim Robbins | ... | ||
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Chris Rehmann | ... | |
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Ben Carr | ... | |
| Lili Taylor | ... | ||
| Joelle Carter | ... |
Penny Hardwick
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| Natasha Gregson Wagner | ... |
Caroline Fortis
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Shannon Stillo | ... |
Alison Jr. High
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| Drake Bell | ... | ||
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Plot Summary
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Plot Synopsis
See All (155) »
Storyline
High Fidelity follows the 'mid-life' crisis of Rob, a thirty-something record-store owner who must face the undeniable facts - he's growing up. In a hilarious homage to the music scene, Rob and the wacky, offbeat clerks that inhabit his store expound on the intricacies of life and song all the while trying to succeed in their adult relationships. Are they listening to pop music because they are miserable? Or are they miserable because they listen to pop music? This romantic comedy provides a whimsical glimpse into the male view of the affairs of the heart. Written by <N2XFYLS@aol.com>
Plot Keywords:
employer employee relationship | record store | store | pop music | record shop |Taglines:
A comedy about fear of commitment, hating your job, falling in love and other pop favorites.Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
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Details
Release Date:
31 March 2000 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Haute fidélité See more »Box Office
Budget:
$20,000,000 (estimated)Opening Weekend:
£696,812 (UK) (21 July 2000)Gross:
ESP 156,175,029 (Spain) (29 June 2001)Company Credits
Show detailed
company contact information
on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Color:
Color (Technicolor)Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
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Rob: What came first, the music or the misery? People worry about kids playing with guns, or watching violent videos, that some sort of culture of violence will take them over. Nobody worries about kids listening to thousands, literally thousands of songs about heartbreak, rejection, pain, misery and loss. Did I listen to pop music because I was miserable? Or was I miserable because I listened to pop music?
See more »
Written by Goldie (as Clifford Price) and Mark Sayfritz
Performed by Goldie
Courtesy of London Records
By Arrangement with Warner Special Products
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
John Cusack and the screenwriters wrote the script with Jack Black in mind for the role of Barry, who nearly turned the role down but reconsidered. See more »Goofs
While Barry is debating the word usage of "Yet" with Rob, he is putting away albums. One album sticks up from the collection in his hands, cut back and it is replaced or gone. Cut again and the album is again sticking out of the collection. See more »Quotes
[first lines]Rob: What came first, the music or the misery? People worry about kids playing with guns, or watching violent videos, that some sort of culture of violence will take them over. Nobody worries about kids listening to thousands, literally thousands of songs about heartbreak, rejection, pain, misery and loss. Did I listen to pop music because I was miserable? Or was I miserable because I listened to pop music?
See more »
Crazy Credits
The main end credits are printed on music-type flyers posted on poles and walls. See more »Soundtracks
Hyena 1Written by Goldie (as Clifford Price) and Mark Sayfritz
Performed by Goldie
Courtesy of London Records
By Arrangement with Warner Special Products
See more »
Why was High Fidelity so good? That's the question that has been going through my mind ever since I saw it. There really wasn't anyone spectacular involved with it. I mean, it's not like Tom Hanks was in it or Steven Spielberg directed it. But somehow, it ended up being just a great comedy.
High Fidelity just had a really entertaining story, and it was extremely well acted by everyone involved. This is what I have come up with in my mission to find out what it was about High Fidelity that made me like it so much. Sure, there's not a whole lot to the story – a guy gets dumped and goes back and recounts his relationships and break-ups with his top five girlfriends, but it was presented in such a clever way that it made bland material a lot of fun.
One of the things that was really good about High Fidelity was the way the `top five girlfriends' premise was complemented by Rob Gordon (Cusack) and his music geek friends coming up with countless top five lists. Top five dream jobs, top five first songs on music albums, top five this, top five that. Anyone who is into top five lists or top ten lists will probably love High Fidelity just for that small part of it. Speaking of Gordon's music geek friends, the person who really stole the show was Jack Black, as Barry, one of Gordon's employees at the record store that he owns in the film. This is particularly notable given the variety of unenviable roles that Black has played, such as those in Cable Guy and, more recently, The Jackal. The hilarious music discussion scenes that take place in the record store are probably the best scenes in the film, and Black steals nearly every one of them.
Almost as amusing as Black was Todd Louiso, playing the part of Dick, another employee at Gordon's record store. Dick is a very soft-spoken music fanatic who is probably so entertaining because we've known someone like him. In fact, that's what is so appealing about Gordon and Barry, too. They are a cross-section of music fans in the urban world and they provide many more laughs because of their familiarity.
A number of well-known actors also played relatively small roles in High Fidelity, such as Catherine Zeta-Jones, Natasha Gregson Wagner, Joan Cusack, and, of course, Tim Robbins as the antagonistic ‘new boyfriend.' One of the really good things about High Fidelity is that it eventually delivers a good message about stepping up and actually doing something with your life. It warns of the dangers of getting too comfortable doing one thing, and of giving in to the temptation of hopping from relationship to brief relationship. At the end, Rob begins to realize the mistakes that he made in his relationship with Laura, and these are mistakes that I think a lot of people have made and continue to make.
High Fidelity is just good comedy. It's fun, it's entertaining, and above all, it's refreshing because of it's relative originality. There are plenty of memorable scenes in the film, many because of their sheer, if illogical, hilarity. Some of the customers who come into the record store are treated much worse than they would ever be treated in real life, but the laughs are delivered. Don't miss this one.