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Review by Jack Foley |
 
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SPECIAL FEATURES: Deleted Scenes; Interview with Stephen Frears; Interview with John Cusack; Theatrical Trailer; Dolby Digital 5.1: English; Subtitles: English, English for the hearing impaired, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Icelandic, Hebrew, Greek
WHEN, in 1997, it was announced that Nick Hornby’s classic High Fidelity
- about man’s struggle to understand women - was to be relocated from
north London to Chicago and starring John Cusack, fans of the novel held their
breath, hoping it wouldn’t be ruined.
Their fears became heightened when another classic Brit novel, Alex Garland’s
The Beach, fell to ‘the American touch’ and was altered to attract
greater audiences States-side.
But in a year when you could easily compile a list of ‘Five great books
ruined by Hollywood’, I’m glad to say that High Fidelity isn’t
one of them - rather it is a great film which remains true to the book while,
if anything, adding to the feelgood nature of the page-turner. Cusack, together
with director Stephen Frears and the writing team behind the brilliant Grosse
Pointe Blank, has delivered a polished, witty, ultra-cool movie which makes
angst-ridden men somehow seem hip, while trying to shed some light on that
crazy thing called love!
The plot is pretty simple - record store owner Rob (Cusack) has just broken
up with Laura (his latest girlfriend who has chosen to co-habit with the guy
upstairs) and, in between bickering with his moronic, music-obsessed work
colleagues, recalls his ‘Top Five Most Memorable Break-Ups’ while
trying to fathom out what went wrong with each of them. Relayed via flashback,
the break-ups are at best embarrassing, at worse, cringe-inducing - but most
ring true as narrator Cusack again serves to underline why he is one of the
best actors currently doing the rounds in Hollywood.
Always charming, occasionally vulnerable, but with the ability to talk his
way out of any given situation and still emerge with a modicum of respectability,
Cusack is perfectly cast as Rob - the type of guy we can all identify with,
even when things are down.
And he is ably supported by a cracking cast who seem to be having a blast,
none more so than Todd Louiso and Jack Black as Rob’s nerdy colleagues.
Black, in particular, shines as the acid-tongued music expert never afraid
to issue an insult even if it means the loss of a rare customer, while the
oh-so-shy Louiso is the perfect foil to his overblown antics. Of the exes,
the likes of Lisa Bonet and Catherine Zeta Jones offer memorable cameos, while
Tim Robbins has great fun cast against type as the stoned man upstairs. But
the movie would still fall flat on its face if the object of Rob’s desires
wasn’t so believable.
As Laura, newcomer Iben Hjejle (last seen in Mifune) plays brilliantly off
Cusack, not least because she is an attractive and accomplished actress able
to convey a range of emotions rather than some stunning but talentless model
we can’t really believe in.
Frears’ direction is also first-rate (perfectly paced and intelligent),
while the soundtrack is well-chosen and appealing, as much a character as
some of the actors themselves.
High Fidelity will undoubtedly be one of the romantic movies of the year which
offers plenty for both of the sexes. It may even creep into a top five list
of the best date movies of the decade!
