Review of High Fidelity (2000) by Fiona W — 09 Jan 2010

John Cusack is one of my favorite actors. He seems to have a knack for making non-likable characters likable, if not, lovable. Rob Gordon in "High Fidelity" is the antithesis of Lloyd Dobler from "Say Anything.

..". Lloyd was optimistic, cheerful, ambitious and idealistic. Rob is pessmistic, cynical, sarcastic and self-absorbed. Yet both characters have a vulnerability about them and a sense of longing for love from a woman.

Lloyd was interested in one woman, Diane, and even when he lost her albeit temporarily, he never gave up on her. Rob has been rejected, so he thinks, many times and questions why...then learns that many times, most of the time, HE was the rejector instead of the rejectee.

And he is interested in one woman, too, yet hasn't totally given up on his past flames. I think there should be a "Sex In The City" for guys on television or the movies. And I would pick Cusack to be involved with it because even though he's a handsome man, he's not a pretty boy or some matinee idol-looking guy.

He seems to always have this droopy, sad look on his face even when he is happy and that comes across as very genuine. He excels at being the underdog and "everyman" almost as good, if not better, than Tom Hanks.

And "High Fidelity" is not just a great date movie, but a must-see for anyone who is truly a music fan. I love and appreciate music and I play music. I'm not trying to sound arrogant or elitist when I say this either, but people who play music or write it listen to it differently than people who don't play or write do.

We have different ears. I believe that is true. I don't think it makes us better or greater as people. That's definitely not true. All I'm saying is that we tend to look for things audibly like little anomalies that turn us on and excite us that many non-musical people could care less about.

People like us get excited when we hear that a classic album is being digitally remastered and/or remixed in 24-bit form. While our friends and family look at us as if we are nuts and question why all of the enthusiasm.

It is because it is in our bones-the music. It is in our hearts and minds and we live, breathe, eat, drink music. Even if we can't play to save our lives, we love it and dig it and we eat all of that shit up.

And "High Fidelity" at its core really is a love letter to music fans much in the same way that "Almost Famous" is. The latter deals more with live performances and concerts. The former deals more with records and albums with songs that we can listen to and never get tired of listening to for hours.

And if you're like this, this movie is a must-see for you.