High Fidelity (2000)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

Stephen Frears

Writers (WGA):

Nick Hornby (book)
D.V. DeVincentis (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

31 March 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Music | Romance

Tagline:

A comedy about fear of commitment, hating your job, falling in love and other pop favorites.

Plot:

Rob, a record store owner and compulsive list maker, recounts his top five breakups, including the one in progress.

Plot Keywords:

Record Store | Store | Pop Music | Love | Vinyl

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 2 wins & 18 nominations

Cast

John Cusack	...	Rob Gordon
Iben Hjejle	...	Laura
Todd Louiso	...	Dick
Jack Black	...	Barry
Lisa Bonet	...	Marie De Salle
Catherine Zeta-Jones	...	Charlie Nicholson
Joan Cusack	...	Liz
Tim Robbins	...	Ian 'Ray' Raymond
Chris Rehmann	...	Vince
Ben Carr	...	Justin
Lili Taylor	...	Sarah Kendrew
Joelle Carter	...	Penny Hardwick
Natasha Gregson Wagner	...	Caroline Fortis
Shannon Stillo	...	Alison Jr. High
Drake Bell	...	Rob Jr. High

MPAA:

Rated R for language and some sexuality.

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English | Danish

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Portugal:M/12 | Iceland:L | Malaysia:18PL | Malaysia:U (cut version) | USA:R (certificate #37241) | South Korea:15 | Philippines:PG-13 | Brazil:14 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Denmark:A (DVD rating) | Finland:K-8 | France:U | Germany:12 (bw) | Netherlands:AL | New Zealand:M | Peru:14 | Singapore:M18 | Singapore:PG (cut) | Spain:7 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Buck Town, Lincoln Square, Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company:

Dogstar Films

Trivia:

The guitarist playing with Marie DeSalle when they see her at Lounge Ax is Jeff Parker from Chicago bands Tortoise and Isotope 217.

Goofs:

Continuity: 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.

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?

Movie Connections:

References Les vacances de Monsieur Hulot (1953)

Soundtrack:

I'm Wrong About Everything

A Biography of a Generation X Male

I don't usually vote 10 on movies, they really have to carry their weight and move me to be on the 'A' list. Don't get upset, I'm not pulling a Bush, I'm not trying to throw the election, but I voted a 10 for this movie.

Plot: Gather a collective of all John Cusack's popular movies then imagine this Generation X character at Thirty-something. Imagine what his job would be, imagine who his friends would be, imagine what his love life was like throughout the aging process. Add extra (well demanded) dialouge to the audience and you have the crowning jewel of Cusack's movies - High Fidelity. Then Jack Black happens.

But what gives it a 10? Because it hits the nail right on the mother F@#$kn' head. It reveals the truth about alternative art snobs (A re-occurring quote in the movie: "I like your music, it's good" response, "I know."). John Cusack creates spectacular dialouge to mirror our thoughts as each phase develops. You begin to wonder if the movie leads your thoughts or if your thoughts lead the movie. JAck Black is truly at his best (maybe the only time) in this movie and will have every single soul with a pulse in the audience roaring with laughter. Tim Robbins reeks of that 'new lover you like to smack' essence. Todd Louiso, my God, if you decide to watch the movie multiple times, try to concentrate only on him when he's on screen, the 'LOSER' persona can never ever be Moby-afied like this again. This movie is a 10 in my book, maybe not everybody elses, but that's why we each vote individually. To me that's what the movie's about, individuality and gathering the strength to enter duality with another individual.

Bottom Line: The general voting public of IMDB seems to be Gen. X males who probably watch a lot of movies in their bachelorhood, I am one myself. If that is YOUR case, you will not only identify with this movie, you will wonder who's been peeping in your life and writting a script about it. All others, well you may not have that insight, but this movie holds much more weight than rants of a constantly heart-broken Gen. X'er. It teaches us and helps us reflect on companionship, it let's us know the best way to act is to not act - just be grounded.