Truly Dreadful Film

Good start, but then it gets ruined

Absolutely the worst movie.

A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

In one of the last classicly '90s films, High Fidelity, John Cusack stars as a classicly '90s hero: he's single in his thirties, doesn't know why, and wants more than anything to be in a relationship. Nowadays, that type of man doesn't really exist anymore; he got married in 2000.As John reflects on his past relationships, he talks to the audience and exposes them to his work and friends. He works at a record shop, and music is a huge part of his life, so if you can't really identify with him in his romantic troubles or his love of music, you will probably find the movie irritating and boring. As it is, I'm a '90s kid, but a little on the younger side, and I think I might have missed the core demographic of this movie by a few years. I'm not entranced by vinyl, and I tended to see the main character's shortcomings rather than his qualities.While nostalgia is a good reason to pick up this movie, you might also want to watch it for the supporting cast. Jack Black, Catherin Zeta-Jones, Joan Cusack, Tim Robbins, Lisa Bonet, Lili Taylor, Natasha Wagner, and Iben Hjejle all contribute to this colorful film in their own way. I didn't end up liking High Fidelity, but I don't usually like dark comedies or quirky romances.

I've never been a fan of John Cusack and this movie did nothing to change my opinion. The writing and character he plays didn't help. His character is so needy and pathetic.I was impressed with Jack Black's performance especially his singing. Iben is an actress I had never heard of before, but she was also great.

It's a great movie! Lots of great music and great characters. But, it is pretty difficult to sympathize with John Cusack's character. He is definitely self-centered and thoroughly self absorbed. Cusack's character mellows enough by the ending to make him certainly more tolerable than he was at the beginning.But, everything else works great. The script is by four screenwriters, including Cusack. Regardless, it all clicks, which you wouldn't expect from a screen writing-by-committee production.The big discovery in this film was Jack Black. And, it's great to see what Black was like when he was full of boundless energy, instead of his more-subdued self today. The rest of the cast is very good too!The original novel was based in England, and was transplanted to Chicago for the film. It works well, and you have to love the talk of vinyl between all the characters, especially since vinyl is currently making the resurgence it is.Recommended for those who love a good movie, and can put up with Cusack's character while he grows up during the film!********* (9 Out of 10 Stars)

High Fidelity is directed by Stephen Frears and adapted to screenplay by D.V. DeVincentis, Steve Pink, John Cusack and Scott Rosenberg from the Nick Hornby novel. It stars Cusack, Jack Black, Iben Hjejle and Todd Louiso. Music is by Howard Shore and Cinematography by Seamus McGarvey.Record store owner and compulsive list-compiler Rob Gordon (Cusack), embark's upon a what does it all mean mission when his latest girlfriend leaves him.Cusack and Pink take Hornby's hugely popular novel and redirect it to Chicago, with joyous results. High Fidelity is a tale of human love and a love of music, a sort of battle of the sexes with a soundtrack of masculine life. Rob's voyage of self discovery is highly amusing, the trials and tribulations of relationships bringing out a number of scenes and scenarios that ring true, not just tickling the funny bones, but also tugging the heart and cradling the brain.Away from the doomed love angles it's the music threads that literally strike the chords. Rob and his two co-workers Barry (Black) & Dick (Louiso) worship music and continually indulge in making top 5 lists whilst bickering with sarcastic glee in the process. All three actors are superb, a trio of odd balls bouncing off of one and other with a zest that's infectious, though it's decidedly Cusack's show. A perpetual miserablist who addresses us the audience at frequent intervals, Rob in Cusack's hands garners sympathy, pity and laughs in equal measure.In the support slots is a ream of talent well in on the joke, beauties like Catherine Zeta-Jones (dropping F-Bombs like they are going out of fashion), Lisa Bonet & Joelle Carter are complimented by the comic skills of Joan Cusack, while Hjejle turns in a wily and womanly performance as the girlfriend who kicks starts Rob's search for meaning. Elsewhere the sight of Tim Robbins as a new age hippy type - with a black belt in martial arts - is so much fun it reminds of what a good comic actor he can be as well. As with Grosse Point Blank, another Cusack/Pink production, sound tracking is everything, and naturally given the setting of the story there is an abundance of classic tunes to delight in. All told it's a special movie, for all sexes and for all music lovers, but especially for anyone who has had relationship problems. Now what did come first, the music or the misery? Priceless. 9/10