Herald rating: * * * * *
Cast: John Cusack, Iben Hjejle, Jack Black, Todd Luiso Director: Stephen Frears
Rating: M (violence, offensive language)
Running time: 115 minutes
Screening: Previews this weekend, opens Thursday Village, Hoyts cinemas.
Review: Russell Baillie
Okay, here are the top five reasons why High Fidelity is worth five stars ...
1) Shifting the setting of Nick Hornby's 1995 popular novel from London to Chicago might have seemed plain wrong.
But moving the life of Rob - the list-obsessive record store guy, who, after his latest relationship crumbles, compiles a few more lists and tracks down his various exes to ask why they broke up with him - turns out to be the first smart move of many. The Brit-bloke mindset may be a cornerstone of the novel but stripped of its laddishness, there's a sharper focus on Rob's everybloke foibles.
2) As Rob, John Cusack spends much of the film speaking to the camera, which may be designed to deliver the internal monologue of the book but it's a device which is usually irksome. But here it works a treat because the script, co-written by Cusack, is seamlessly faithful to the book.
3) Cusack's funny, wry, sparkling performance as Rob is perfectly pitched. Whether he's staring, crestfallen, down the barrel of the camera verbally contemplating his emotional ditherings, just trying to get through the day as the bewildered owner of low-rent record store Championship Vinyl, or sharing scenes with the various women in - and out of - Rob's life, Cusack is terrific and all-too believable.
4) The casting and performances of everybody else are spot-on, too - especially Iben Hjejle as Rob's exasperated girlfriend Laura, Jack Black as Championship Vinyl's resident loudmouth Barry, and Todd Luiso as the shop's shy sweet doormat, Dick. Oh it also has very funny cameos from Tim Robbins (as the pony-tailed nouveau hippie rival for Laura's affections) and Bruce Springsteen, as himself, Boss.
5) Any bloke who thought, "That's me!" from the book is going to go, "There I am again!" upon seeing the movie. No, High Fidelity doesn't say anything new about relationships and frankly that's the way us blokes would prefer it, thanks very much.
High Fidelity
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