High Fidelity

I recently watched an adorable movie directed by Stephen Frears called High Fidelity.  What makes it so adorable you ask?  Isn't every John Cusack movie adorable, or does it seem adorable because he himself is the epitome of TATH (too adorable to handle).  Now John Cusack was in many adorable movies in the 80s so I was under the impression that this movie was one of his classic 80s movie which didn't bother me at all because I love the 80s (the music, the movies, the fashion) everything about it makes me wish I lived longer to remember it.  Anyway, it had a very 80s style to it, then I saw that it was made in 2000, and I was surprised.  It has the potential to be a John Hughes movie or even a Cameron Crowe.  Then I saw it was directed by Stephen Frears who also directed The Queen and Dirty Pretty Things.  Both these movies are in a completely different genre than High Fidelity which is a cute romantic comedy.  Well its not really that comedic, but Jack Black is there for his annoying comedic relief.  Frears also directed Dangerous Liasions which I've never seen so I don't know what genre it would fall under.

I liked this movie quite a bit because I could relate to it for two reasons.  Reason number one being that Cusack's character Rob constantly looks at the camera and talks to the audience more than other characters.  I think Frear did this as a reason so we can relate to Rob and sympathize with him.  Of course, its John Cusack, who doesn't feel bad for him when something bad happens?  He's just too adorable!  Also, the talking to the audience seemed more to me like he was talking to himself, which I do quite frequently.  The movie starts out with him being dumped by longtime girlfriend, and through out the movie he gets a little crazy about it and dwells on it.  Sounds like me.  Which brings me to reason number 2, the Top 5 Break Ups he discusses at the beginning of the movie.  I think we all have somewhere in the back of our mind a top 5 list for breakups, I know I do.  Top 5 seems to be a consistent theme throughout the film as he has a top 5 list for pretty much everything.  What I enjoyed, is that Rob decided to figure out his breakup by communicating with his top 4 as to why they broke up with him in the first place.  Most of them he finds results, some he didn't really care anymore.  So everyone likes a character they can relate to, and that's why I like Rob.  I think asking my exes questions is a great idea.  Of course there needs to be enough time in between the break up that its not just me trying to get him back.  Rob also made a comment about music telling how you feel.  I agree with him 100%.  He makes tapes for different situations to help say how he feels about that particular situation.  I myself have done that too.  He even informed me how to properly make a break up tape, what should be expressed in the music.

 This movie was good, but I didn't like the ending.  Maybe its over my head, but to me it just didn't add up.  Most of it ties in together, him DJing again, the success of the hoodlums and Jack Black's band, but I didn't understand why he got back together with Laura.  I thought he made great progress in realizing what was wrong with their relationship and getting over her, but then she takes him back because it just seemed like the right thing to do.  And he's okay with that?  After flirting with a writer from The Reader he then has a heartfelt conversation of wanting to marry Laura and never growing tired of her.  I know this is suppose to be like a Coming of Age genre, but what does he realize?  In a way he's back where he started.  I guess the time apart made him realize he's ready to be 100% committed to her because he admitted to not being fully committed to her the first time they were together.  Maybe I just answered my own question, but if anyone can help me out with my confusion it would be greatly appreciated.

Okay, I'm almost done with this review, but first I must list things I liked and didn't like about this film.  Like:  The different alternative reactions of Rob when Tim Robbins' character Ian comes into the store.  I myself try to think of the best way to react to a sucky situation and these alternatives showed me different outcomes.  Dislike:  Jack Black, does anyone not see how annoying he is?  Does he ever play different characters? Maybe that's why lovable Seth Rogen and geeky Jonah Hill are now the token fat funny guy in every comedy.  I did however like his character in Shallow Hal.  I'm starting to think Frears wrote him in the movie so he could make more money.  "Hey Jack Black, he's a funny, fat guy, lets put him in our movie and make millions on the idiots that love every movie he's in"  Like: Drake Bell playing a young John Cusack.  Clearly Frears wants us to know Cusack has been adorable at least since 7th grade.  I felt angry that John Cusack was dumped but then I felt angrier that Drake Bell was dumped.  That was good casting, you're almost forgiven for the Jack Black casting debacle.  Dislike:  The beginning of the last club scene.  While Rob was playing music the background noise of people talking was just too unrealistic.  Anyone can tell the talking was recorded separately from the club scene.

Finally, little fact I learned about John Cusack.  He's from Evanston, IL, the next town over!  He's like my neighbor.  I know this wasn't the review to The Fourth Kind, like I stated previously, but are you really that disappointed?  The movies probably not that good. 

Update 5/16/2011:

I've decided that since I live in Chicago, I will visit locations in every film I review that took place in Chicago.  This is the location of the record store from High Fidelity.