High Fidelity

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HIGH FIDELITY
script by: Nick Hornby, directed by: Steven Frears

I’ve seen the film”High fidelity”, based on the cult novel of the same name by Nick Hornby. The film is about the record store owner Rob (John Cusack) and his girlfriend Laura (Iben Hjejle). The story describes a man who is reconsidering his life. In the beginning of the film you see Rob as a self-centred man who hates his life. But soon you realise that he has a lot of thoughts and feelings underneath the surface. When he loses his girlfriend Laura, potentially the love of his life, he starts to reminisce and begins to understand why she left him. The story mostly takes place in his record store, where he works with his atypical colleagues Dick and Barry. I think the atmosphere of the film is comforting and realistic. The characters don’t have insanely good looks or unexplainable money; they are pictured as humans with flaws which I think are rare in the Hollywood productions of today. The thing I like the most about the film is that it isn’t a “Cinderella story” where Rob goes from being a pathetic loser to be a perfect gentleman. Instead he keeps behaving badly and making mistakes but he starts to realise why he is so afraid of commitment and what love is all about. I feel that I can sympathise with him and relate to his thoughts. I especially like his judgment in music: “What came first, the music or the misery? Did I listen to pop music because I was miserable? Or was I miserable because I listened to pop music?”. A part of the film where I can see myself is when Rob is organising his LP records in hope of getting some perspective of his life. I like all these little details related to music. The conversations often starts or ends with a funny musical parable, like when Rob is making Marvin Gaye the symbol of his and Laura’s relationship: “Let´s get it on. That´s our song. Marvin Gaye is responsible for our entire relationship.” Laura answers: “Oh, is that so? I´d like a word with him then. “High fidelity” is a film about fear of commitment, hating your job and falling in love, all accompanied by music. The film is well structured; there is never any question about where the events take place or why. I get the picture that the director Steven Frears has followed the book very carefully in its advance. Therefore the story has a flow and the characters never loose their qualities. As it comes to role casting, it is ideal. They are all brilliant actors who play a gang of melancholic people in their thirties perfectly. I like how Iben Hjejle and John Cusack picture the simple, yet complicated relationship between two misunderstood adults. Like when Laura says: “I’m to tired not to be with you” and Rob answers: “What, so if you had a bit more energy we´d stay split up, but things being as they are, with you being wiped out and all, you want to get back together? Is that it?” And then she slowly shakes her head and says: “Yeah”. This tells everything about their casual, unattached love for each other. “High fidelity” is romantic, comical and sad. John Cusack is doing a fantastic act as both the unaware romantic nobody and as the adversary to his bizarre, hilarious employees Dick and Barry. I’m not surprised that the film got nominated for a golden globe and a Grammy, this is without of doubt one of the best films I’ve ever seen in the romantic comedy genre. The only negative thing about “High fidelity” is that it isn’t longer, because you never want it to end. The film may be dated...