HIGH FIDELITY (FILM)

'''High Fidelity''' is a 2000 film directed by Stephen Frears, starring John Cusack, Iben Hjejle, Jack Black, Todd Louiso, Tim Robbins, Lisa Bonet, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Joan Cusack, Joelle Carter, and Lili Taylor. It is based on the 1995 English novel of the same name by Nick Hornby. After seeing the film, Hornby expressed his happiness with John Cusack's performance as Rob Gordon. Hornby said he wanted the actor to play the leads in every film adaptation of his books.

Contents

Plot summary

Cast and characters

References in other works

Soundtrack

More music in the film

External links

Plot summary

The book and film have essentially similar plots, though the setting, originally London, is moved to Chicago in the film. Cusack plays Rob Gordon (Rob Fleming in the novel), a record store owner in his 30s whose girlfriend Laura (Hjejle) has just left him before the start of the film. This breakup leads Rob to recall his five most memorable breakups and to wonder what happened to them and why they left him.
Eventually, Rob's re-examination of his failed relationships (brought on by a lucid dream dialogue with Bruce Springsteen in the film adaptation) leads to his decision to seek them all out. Rob revisits all of his past girlfriends as a sort of closure to that part of his life. Rob soon discovers that his ex girlfriends were much different. More often than not he is surprised he ever fell in love with them at all, and in no case is this more evident than when he meets old college classmate Charlie (Zeta-Jones) again, a woman whom we previously learn had left Rob for another man. Rob goes in great detail about his admiration for Charlie before maturing into seeing Charlie for how she really is.
While this search is happening, Rob is struggling to come to grips with Laura leaving him, and throughout the movie we learn about their relationship through narrative flashbacks and monologues. It is during this time that Laura begins dating Ian (Robbins), who was formerly a neighbor of Rob. This relationship causes Rob sleepless nights as he imagines Laura with another man and fears Laura will leave him for real.
To make things worse, Ian is "horrible" according to Rob. He plays world music and "awful cooking smells" emanate from his apartment. Despite all of this, Rob is desperate to get Laura back and goes so far as to lurk outside Ian's apartment waiting for her to come out. The interactions between Rob and Ian are humorous to the viewer, but the conflict invariably drives Laura farther away from Rob.
The main turning point of the film comes when Laura's father passes away and Laura invites Rob to the funeral. After the service, the two share a quick night of passion as Laura tries to forget the pain of her father's death. Soon after, the two have a talk and decide to try the relationship again. With Rob now comfortable with himself after talking to his old girlfriends, the relationship begins to take on a healthy form. Rob now understands that the good times are worth the bad and realizes that Laura is everything that he wants.
A major setting in the movie where much interaction and humor take place is the record shop that Rob owns, Championship Vinyl, located at Honore and Milwaukee Streets. Rob and his employees, Dick (Louiso) and Barry (Black), spend their free moments discussing mix-tape aesthetics and constructing "top-five" lists which demonstrate their knowledge of music. Much of the movie focuses on discussions and opinions on artists and music.
Both store workers have unique identities and play an important role in the film. Barry is an overly obnoxious clerk who goes out of his way to make fun of those who he deems lower than him because of their lack of musical knowledge. Dick, on the other hand, is quieter and less forceful with his opinions.
The two separate parts of the story come together when Rob decides to create a record label, Top 5 Records, through the record store. Laura takes this idea even further by setting up an event where Rob ends up DJing and Barry’s newfound band plays in order to promote the new label. The show is a hit and it seems Rob's life is taking a turn for the better.
The film ends with Rob saying that he finally knows what a relationship is all about as he begins to make a new mix-tape for Laura.

Cast and characters

John Cusack ... Rob Gordon

Iben Hjejle ... Laura

Todd Louiso ... Dick

Jack Black ... Barry

Lisa Bonet ... Marie DeSalle

Catherine Zeta-Jones ... Charlie Nicholson

Joan Cusack ... Liz

Tim Robbins ... Ian "Ray" Raymond

Lili Taylor ... Sarah Kendrew

Natasha Gregson Wagner ... Caroline

Bruce Springsteen ... Himself (cameo)

References in other works

During a 2005 concert in Providence, Rhode Island, Regina Spektor stated that "Fidelity", a song from her album ''Begin to Hope'', is based on the film.
Taking Back Sunday's track "Number Five with a Bullet", from their 2004 album ''Where You Want to Be'', borrows its title from a line in the film in which Rob describes Laura as entering the number five spot of his top 5 break ups "with a bullet" when he sees her with a man he hates.
The song "Music or the Misery" by Fall Out Boy takes its name from the opening scene, as Rob asks himself, "Which came first: the music, or the misery?"

Soundtrack

# "You're Gonna Miss Me" - 13th Floor Elevators
# "Everybody's Gonna Be Happy" - The Kinks
# "I'm Wrong About Everything" - John Wesley Harding
# "Oh! Sweet Nuthin'" - The Velvet Underground
# "Always See Your Face" - Love
# "Most Of The Time" - Bob Dylan
# "Fallen For You" - Sheila Nicholls
# "Dry The Rain" - The Beta Band
# "Shipbuilding" - Elvis Costello & The Attractions
# "Cold Blooded Old Times" - Smog
# "Let's Get It On" - Barry Jive & The Uptown Five
# "Lo Boob Oscillator" - Stereolab
# "Inside Game" - Royal Trux
# "Who Loves The Sun" - The Velvet Underground
# "I Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever)" - Stevie Wonder

More music in the film

Song	Performed by
"I Want Candy"	Bow Wow Wow
"Crocodile Rock"	Elton John
"Crimson and Clover"	Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
"Seymour Stein"	Belle & Sebastian
"Jacob's Ladder"	Rush
"Walking on Sunshine"	Katrina & The Waves
"Baby Got Going"	Liz Phair
"Little Did I Know"	Brother JT3
"I Can't Stand the Rain"	Ann Peebles
"The River"	Bruce Springsteen
"Baby, I Love Your Way"	''"Marie DeSalle"'' - Lisa Bonet
"Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam"	The Vaselines
"On Hold"	Edith Frost
"Hyena 1"	Goldie
"I'm Gonna Love You Just a Little More, Babe"	Barry White
"Soaring & Boring"	Plush
"Leave Home"	The Chemical Brothers
"Four to the Floor"	John Etkin-Bell
"Loopfest"	Tony Bricheno & Jan Cryka
"Robbin's Nest"	Illinois Jacquet
"Rock Steady"	Aretha Franklin
"Suspect Device"	Stiff Little Fingers
"We Are the Champions"	Queen
"I'm Glad You're Mine"	Al Green
"Your Friend & Mine"	Love
"Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You"	Bob Dylan
"Get It Together"	Grand Funk Railroad
"This India"	Harbhajhn Singh & Navinder Pal Singh
"Tread Water"	De La Soul
"The Moonbeam Song"	Harry Nilsson
"Juice (Know the Ledge)"	Eric B. & Rakim
"Doing It Anyway"	Apartment 26
"What's On Your Mind"	Eric B. & Rakim
"Good & Strong"	Sy Smith
"Mendocino"	Sir Douglas Quintet
"The Night Chicago Died"	Paper Lace
"Chapel of Rest"	Dick Walter
"I Get the Sweetest Feeling'	Jackie Wilson
"The Anti-Circle"	The Roots
"Homespin Rerun"	High Llamas
"Hit the Street"	Rupert Gregson-Williams
"My Little Red Book"	Love

External links

★

★

★ High Fidelity at All Movie

★ Nick Hornby's Official Website