High Fidelity poster & wallpaper

Iben Hjejle, Jack Black, Joan Cusack

In a biting romantic comedy, Rob Gordon is the owner of a semi-failing record store in Chicago, where he sells music the old-fashioned way -- on vinyl. He's a self-professed music junkie who spends hi...( read more  read more... )s days at Championship Vinyl with his two employees, Dick and Barry. Although they have an encyclopedic knowledge of pop music and are consumed with the music scene, it's of no help to Rob, whose needle skips the love groove when his long-time girlfriend, Laura, walks out on him. As he examines his failed attempts at romance and happiness, the process finds him being dragged, kicking and screaming, into adulthood.

Flixster Users

88% liked it

100,039 ratings

Critics

92% liked it

143 critics

R, 1 hr. 47 min.

Directed by: Stephen Frears

Release Date: March 31, 2000

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: September 19, 2000

Get It:

Stats: 11,957 reviews

Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites
report incorrect info

Photos

High Fidelity High Fidelity High Fidelity High Fidelity High Fidelity High Fidelity Richard Cusack plays role of Minister in High Fidelity (2000) High Fidelity High Fidelity High Fidelity High Fidelity High Fidelity High Fidelity High Fidelity High Fidelity High Fidelity High Fidelity High Fidelity
Upload a Photo |

View All High Fidelity Photos (22)

Your Rating


clear rating
Share on: Facebook Twitter

Flixster Reviews (11,957)

  • irisheyes686
    October 9, 2009
    irisheyes686
    Cusack really annoyed me in this movie. It did have its funny parts, but it was just pointless to me. Jack Black also was more annoying than usual.
  • SirPant
    September 18, 2009
    SirPant
    I find this film a little annoying. It managed to make a bad book worse!
  • Passenger1986
    July 25, 2009
    Passenger1986
    Music and love. Two very good subjects to do in films. So combining the two, and having the music of love AND a love of music, makes for a special film indeed.

    A slice-of-life comedy about the pitfalls of love, Cusack once again proves why he's a dynamic force. His breaking of t...( read more)he fourth wall is most enjoyable, using it as a catharsis of sorts. I find that his character, Rob Gordon, is not unlike myself in a few ways. We're both heavily introspective, we stay out of fights between friends/co-workers (sometimes playing Devil's advocate just to get a resolution) and most importantly, we make Top 5's out of just about anything (well I have to do something to pass the time at work when I'm alone). Though I haven't seen Evil Dead 2 yet... (don't tell Jack Black's character, Barry).

    On the subject of Jack Black, I found his role quite surprising here. He's laid back, sure, but also subdued and without manic energy. This is not a complaint, however, as it's nice to see him in this sort of role. If it weren't for the fact that this is based on a book and the dialogue probably being lifted straight from it, I'd say its almost like Jack walked on set and used his own thoughts to form dialogue. Wouldn't surprise me, being the keen musician he is.

    If I didn't know better, I'd swear it was a Cameron Crowe film. He does slice-of-life comedies too and his ear for music is unparalleled. This film has some great music too and some excellent music references (bonus points for bringing up The Night Chicago Died by Paper Lace).

    The idea of going back through your past to examine your present love life really resonates with me. Some say to leave the past in the past, I say if you forget your past, you're going to make the same mistakes over and over. Sure it's okay to try and repress certain memories to an extent (school being one of those for this reviewer) but analysis of the past could lead to a present epiphany. Rob Gordon understands this and this forms the driving force of the story. He sees old girlfriends years after things have ended in an attempt to stop this pattern repeating. Sometimes I think I could benefit from that, maybe that's another thing Rob and I have in common.

    Throw in a wonderful performance from Catherine Zeta-Jones and you have a very thought-provoking experience.
  • mrpopcorn
    July 24, 2009
    mrpopcorn
    "A comedy about fear of commitment, hating your job, falling in love and other pop favorites."

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

    RE
    ...( read more)VIEW
    High Fidelity is a brave, creative, witty, and wry look at one young man's coming to grips with love and sorting through the requisite regrets, recriminations, rationalizations, reconciliations and ultimate realization. Built around an intelligent, non-stop script; an excellent talk-to-the-camera performance by Cusack; and a cadre of quality supporting actors, this film will be lauded and loathed for it's break-the-rules bravura, it's esoteric pop music purist milieu, and it's very male perspective. High Fidelity showcases some great acting to everyone concerned and is possibly John Cusack's finest hour...so far.
  • PvtCaboose91
    May 7, 2009
    PvtCaboose91
    "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, rejecti...( read more)on, pain, misery and loss. Did I listen to pop music because I was miserable? Or was I miserable because I listened to pop music?"


    As the title implies, High Fidelity is a quirky, humorously philosophical romantic comedy driven thematically by music - in other words, music matters to the protagonists and more or less defines them. Containing over 50 credited songs, this is a pop-music-soaked study of failed relationships (and the obsessive elitism of pop-culture fanatics) through the eyes of a music geek. This filmic appropriation of Nick Hornby's 1995 novel probably seemed like a daft idea on paper, as the setting was altered from London to Chicago and the decidedly British tone would be difficult to retain. Yet, against all odds, director Stephen Frears and co. have crafted an appealing, engaging, witty, smart meditation on the prattles of sex; retaining the attitude of the novel and adding a broader, more accessible feel. Hornby's amusing and undeniably honest insights into the male condition remain intact in this cinematic adaptation as well. High Fidelity is also extraordinarily well-crafted - it entertains from the very first shot 'til the closing credits, the script is terrific, performances are zingy all-round, and Frears' direction is inspired.


    "John Dillinger was killed behind that theater in a hale of FBI gunfire. And do you know who tipped them off? His fucking girlfriend. All he wanted to do was go to the movies."


    The story primarily concerns reflection, self-discovery and realisation about the nature of love. It additionally concerns (and is in a way for) those obsessed with pop culture - books, music, movies, etc.

    Rob Gordon (Cusack) is an underachieving former DJ seemingly cursed with a romantic hex. Ever since a brief liaison under the football benches as a kid, his love life has been catastrophic. Speaking directly to the camera, Rob takes us on a guided tour of his life; mulling over his favourite music and the bittersweet history of his romantic failures. Rob is a downright music enthusiast - his apartment is lined with shelves of coveted vinyl records, and he owns his own (failing) record store 'Championship Vinyl'. He begins going through a crisis of self-confidence when his latest girlfriend Laura (Hjejle) dumps him. Rob proceeds to recount his top five most memorable break-ups of all time, reflecting on his romantic troubles to determine why his relationships are so luckless.


    To capture the freewheeling style of Hornby's book, director Frears is heavily dependent on direct-to-camera addresses and voiceovers which are initially jarring. However, with Cusack's eminent amiability functioning as a conduit, one can eventually slide into the movie's rhythms and get drawn into Rob's little universe. Not a lot actually occurs throughout the course of the film, and it can't eschew the clichés, but it's the way director Frears tweaks it that makes it seem fresh and welcome. In a meandering fashion that could easily alienate an audience accustomed to action pictures and broad comedy, High Fidelity takes us inside Rob's struggling record business; cinematographer Seamus McGarvey's camera spending a great deal of time tracking events occurring inside the store. Rob specialises in vinyl records of pop music, and his two workers Dick (Louiso) & Barry (Black) are willing to work voluntarily for twice the time that they were hired to do. The comedy succeeds because the makers are aware that they must create well-drawn characters a viewer can come to care about in order to stage a successful humorous situation. High Fidelity finds the delicate balance between hilarity and dramatic resonance, without ever resorting to character caricaturisation or going over the top in its depiction of true-to-life situations (perhaps once, granted, when three different takes are presented of a confrontation between two characters).


    "I can't fire them. I hired these guys for three days a week and they just started showing up every day. That was four years ago."


    High Fidelity pays particularly astute attention to the typical life of an aging Generation-X male in contemporary society; absolutely nailing even the smallest details of his existence with droll, sagacious charm, such as those cruel, nagging phone conversations between mother and son. From its observant take on late twenty-something romance, to its faultless recreation of the record store set and music scene (not to mention the terrific portrayal of the denizens dwelling within), High Fidelity does virtually everything right. There are countless wonderfully original, touchingly funny scenes. The humour is wry and clever, and the movie maintains a generally upbeat tone. It also occasionally toys with the significance of pop music to a person's psychological development. There's even a slight hint of Woody Allen in the project (from the neuroses of the protagonist to the Annie Hall-type dissection of a dud romance), but without the stigma some movie-goers attach to Allen's excellent oeuvre. Due to its quirky characters, smart dialogue, and sporadic bursts of incisive humour, High Fidelity stands out as a small movie that deserves wide exposure.


    The distinguishing point of High Fidelity is that it's much closer to the authentic feel of British films as opposed to the crisp perfection of Hollywood. All of the characters come across as actual people not unlike those you'd encounter in a record store. The first-rate screenplay was written in part by John Cusack who also stars as the protagonist. Cusack is an apt choice; admirably pulling off Rob as both a character and as a narrator. The "breaking the fourth wall" technique seems completely natural. He constantly addresses the audience via narration or speaking directly to the camera, but it never feels excessive thanks to his boundless geniality. Cusack's character is clearly miserable, yet he never craves too much sympathy - he recognises our intelligence. Your tolerance of High Fidelity will most likely depend on your tolerance of the lead actor.


    While Cusack is excellent in the title role, there's a gallery of supporting actors who wonderfully make their mark. Jack Black and Todd Louiso absolutely steal the show as two socially-inept clerks working at Rob's vinyl shop who live and breathe pop music, and spend their days arguing about pop trivia while comparing various "top 5" lists. These guys have their music aficionado characters nailed down to a tee. Jack Black is a particular stand-out; his characterisation of Barry is full of energy and attitude, and he imbues every line with comic punch. One of the film's best scenes features Barry ferociously telling off a middle-aged man looking to buy I Just Called to Say I Love You for his daughter.

    Relatively unknown Danish actress Iben Hjejle is believable and likeable as Rob's latest girlfriend. Despite little experience as an actress in American movies, she's clearly mastered her American accent. Beyond these characters, there's merely a bunch of cameos from a variety of actresses. Catherine Zeta-Jones is the most memorable for fairly obvious reasons. Lisa Bonet is also appealing for every frame in which she appears, and John Cusack's sister Joan (a frequent guest in her sibling's movies) is predictably good as Rob's pal Liz. Look out for Tim Robbins as well, who's visibly enjoying himself (this is contagious).


    High Fidelity is a charming, whimsical little film that perfectly captures the temperament of retail folks who are both knowledgeable and passionate about their product, and who prefer discussing their commodity as opposed to being paid for it. This is a fantastic flick; an excellently-constructed romantic comedy for the pop generation. The characters inhabiting the picture are believable and very well developed, and the performances are strong. The humour is sharp and witty; never feeling forced. The accompanying soundtrack is scene-appropriate and extremely enjoyable. It even rightfully recognises Evil Dead II as the cinematic classic it truly is. On top of this, a boundless energy pervades the movie - there's hardly a dull moment at any stage during the 110-minute runtime. High Fidelity also succeeds because it deeply taps into the male psyche with an emotional honesty that anchors the drama and ensures the characters (Dick and Barry included) are never treated as caricatures. It's fairly clichéd, but Frears' terrific direction strongly distracts us from the unoriginality. All things considered, High Fidelity is high value cinema and it's simply a delightful way to spend a couple of hours.


    "It would be nice to think that since I was 14, times have changed. Relationships have become more sophisticated. Females less cruel. Skins thicker. Instincts more developed. But there seems to be an element of that afternoon in everything that's happened to me since. All my romantic stories are a scrambled version of that first one."
  • free2me122003
    November 6, 2009
    free2me122003
    somewhat funny...not his best acting
  • camilacorreia
    November 5, 2009
    camilacorreia
    I would love to have a store like that
  • hugenymetsfan
    November 2, 2009
    hugenymetsfan
    One of my all time faves. A great look at relationships and why we tear ourselves up over them
  • aniacel
    October 31, 2009
    aniacel
    Just sweet and funny
  • vegas14mwz
    October 31, 2009
    vegas14mwz
    Love this movie...Cusack always has a great supporting cast, Jack Black is great.

View All High Fidelity Reviews

Critic Reviews

March 19, 2002
Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail

A funny, perceptive movie about pop music, a man's confused passions for records and women, and the lure of perpetual teenagehood. full review

May 10, 2001
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

You're still smiling when the film is over. full review

January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Movies this wry and likable hardly ever get made. full review

January 1, 2000
David Edelstein, Slate

There's a lot to enjoy in High Fidelity. full review

January 1, 2000
Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com

Every single actor here rises to the occasion. full review

January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, At the Movies

Movies this wry and likable hardly ever get made. full review

View more High Fidelity reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments

  • nazmondo
    September 25, 2007
    nazmondo
    I was pleasantly surprised by Jack Black singing Marvin Gaye.
  • dreamless1986
    August 5, 2007
    dreamless1986
    hahahaha i adore this movie!!!!!
  • jjpms
    December 8, 2006
    jjpms
    Sadly, a very much underrated film. Fantastic views on love and relationships - Where a person can go wrong, and where he can go right. Probably one of John Cusack's best solioquay films.
  • emaics
    September 5, 2006
    emaics
    Nosta mal. Voy a poner alguna peli a ver qué te parecen.
Post A Comment | View All Comments

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

All Rotten Tomatoes content is used under license from Rotten Tomatoes. Rotten Tomatoes, Certified Fresh, and the Tomatometer are the trademarks of Incfusion Corporation, d/b/a Rotten Tomatoes, a subsidiary of IGN Entertainment, Inc.

Cast

More Like This

Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • School of Rock
    School of Rock (39%)
  • There's Something About Mary
    There's Something About Mary (45%)
  • Amelie (Le Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain)
    Amelie (Le Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain) (51%)
  • Broken Flowers
    Broken Flowers (0%)

More Movies like High Fidelity

Theater Showtimes & TV Listings

High Fidelity Trivia

  • These movies were based on which author's books?: High Fidelity, Fever Pitch, About a Boy  Answer »
  • Which family members star together in "High Fidelity"?  Answer »
  • Connect the movies. Sixteen Candles Being John Malkovich Anastasia The Road to Wellville High Fidelity  Answer »
  • The book and the film High Fidelity (2000) both take place in Chicago.  Answer »
More High Fidelity Trivia

Movie Quizzes

Create a Quiz |

All Quizzes

Video Clips

Upload a Video |

All High Fidelity Videos

Meet Other Fans

Add High Fidelity to favorites

Recent News

Submit a Story |

View High Fidelity News

Recent Lists

Make a List |

View All Lists

Most Popular Skin

badcrumbles Skin by badcrumbles
256 Profiles
Add to Profile

More Skins