"What came first, the music or the misery? People worry about kids playing with guns, or watching violent videos, that some sort of culture of violence will take them over. Nobody worries about kids listening to thousands, literally thousands of songs about heartbreak, rejection, pain, misery and loss. Did I listen to pop music because I was miserable? Or was I miserable because I listened to pop music?"
There are only a few movies I have seen upwards of 20 times, and High Fidelity is one of them. It's one of the few movies that is better than the book (no disrespect to Hornby, who I love), but beyond that, it's just so damn wry and likable that every month or so I feel the inclination to watch it again. At this point I can quote all of the lines, cue the music, and name every song on the soundtrack, but I never really seem to tire of it. I'm a woman, but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate that it's one of the only movies that approaches relationships, sex and romance from a man's perspective and does it so with grace and relatable- albeit whiny- charm. Identifying with Rob is instinctive, no matter your gender, age, or sexual orientation.
For those of you unacquainted with the film, John Cusack is Rob, a man obsessed with music and the owner of a used record store who is going through the painful post-relationship stage with his latest girlfriend, Laura. Hurt from the breakup, he makes a list (oh yeah, he's a serial list-maker, too) of the top five breakups from his past, a list that Laura is spitefully absent from. This prompts him to attempt a spiritual journey by contacting each girl that ever rejected him so he can win back Laura.
Of course, the soundtrack is first on the list of reasons why I adore this movie. There are songs from well-known and well-loved artists like Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Harry Nilsson, The Chemical Brothers and Stevie Wonder, as well as bands that I personally have overlooked, such as The Stiff Little Fingers and Grand Funk Railroad. And talk about the best version of Peter Frampton's 'Baby I Love Your Way' ever. Rob's mix, so to speak, has the perfect mix of contemporary underground and popular bands from all eras, coming together to for a definitive mood and a selling point for anyone that loves a good mixtape or gets emotionally attached to a film.
But Joan Jett aside, I think the clearest reason I like this movie is because it's grounded in reality. You could meet Rob on the street, and I know at some point we have all dated a Laura or a Charlie. Rob is a blowhard not uncommonly found in record stores, the kind of guy who would rather tell you his opinion on your taste in music than actually sell you a record. He's endearingly settled into the reject position, but he stays in reality with his vices. He, and all of the other characters populating the story, are real people. This point is only reinforced by the clever quotes and dialogue. For example, there is a scene where Rob finds out his ex-girlfriend Laura is staying with his creepy neighbor Ian (played by a ponytailed Tim Robbins). He has an internal monologue imagining her having sex with Ian, and it all rings incredibly true. We’ve all found out our ex is seeing someone else (or even just seen them with someone else) and that's just when the jealousy kicks in and we fixate on who that person is. High Fidelity also addresses the post-honeymoon phase of a relationship- the stage when you become comfortable with your partner and stop making that special effort that you made a few months earlier, e.g. shaving your legs, keeping your small opinions to yourself, and picking your hair out of the shower drain. When Rob finds Laura's cotton underpants in his apartment, he says:
For those of you unacquainted with the film, John Cusack is Rob, a man obsessed with music and the owner of a used record store who is going through the painful post-relationship stage with his latest girlfriend, Laura. Hurt from the breakup, he makes a list (oh yeah, he's a serial list-maker, too) of the top five breakups from his past, a list that Laura is spitefully absent from. This prompts him to attempt a spiritual journey by contacting each girl that ever rejected him so he can win back Laura.
Of course, the soundtrack is first on the list of reasons why I adore this movie. There are songs from well-known and well-loved artists like Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Harry Nilsson, The Chemical Brothers and Stevie Wonder, as well as bands that I personally have overlooked, such as The Stiff Little Fingers and Grand Funk Railroad. And talk about the best version of Peter Frampton's 'Baby I Love Your Way' ever. Rob's mix, so to speak, has the perfect mix of contemporary underground and popular bands from all eras, coming together to for a definitive mood and a selling point for anyone that loves a good mixtape or gets emotionally attached to a film.
But Joan Jett aside, I think the clearest reason I like this movie is because it's grounded in reality. You could meet Rob on the street, and I know at some point we have all dated a Laura or a Charlie. Rob is a blowhard not uncommonly found in record stores, the kind of guy who would rather tell you his opinion on your taste in music than actually sell you a record. He's endearingly settled into the reject position, but he stays in reality with his vices. He, and all of the other characters populating the story, are real people. This point is only reinforced by the clever quotes and dialogue. For example, there is a scene where Rob finds out his ex-girlfriend Laura is staying with his creepy neighbor Ian (played by a ponytailed Tim Robbins). He has an internal monologue imagining her having sex with Ian, and it all rings incredibly true. We’ve all found out our ex is seeing someone else (or even just seen them with someone else) and that's just when the jealousy kicks in and we fixate on who that person is. High Fidelity also addresses the post-honeymoon phase of a relationship- the stage when you become comfortable with your partner and stop making that special effort that you made a few months earlier, e.g. shaving your legs, keeping your small opinions to yourself, and picking your hair out of the shower drain. When Rob finds Laura's cotton underpants in his apartment, he says:
"Look at these. I used to dream I’d be surrounded by exotic women’s underwear forever and ever. Now I know they just save their best pairs for the nights they know they’re going to sleep with somebody."
If I'm saying anything at all, I hope I'm saying that High Fidelity is not a profound movie by any means, or even a 'great' one. It shows us happiness through the nature of relationships (both friendly and romantic) set to a pop music soundtrack, and it leaves you with a satisfied, happy feeling after watching it. It's a movie that stands the test of time and I have never found, nor do I expect to find, anything quite like it.