DVD, Somerville, MA

*** / ****

by Scott Muoio

“It’s not what you’re like, it’s what you like.”

Even though there probably isn’t one likable character in Stephen Frears’ High Fidelity (although goofy sidekicks Dick (Todd Louiso), Barry (Jack Black), and Ray (Tim Robbins) provide good comic relief), something tells me most viewers are content to root for the main players, Rob (John Cusack) and Laura (a well played Iben Hjejle) to get together in the end. In judging any successful romantic comedy, this fact is almost always of the utmost importance and as such convinces me that High Fidelity is a successful romantic comedy whether I liked it or not. Admittedly, while the film is chock full of witty off the cuff comments, a great soundtrack, interesting if shallow characters, and a very well written script, this is a typical film about a pretty regular dude trying to find love in what he perceives as an unforgiving world. It is a film born of a solid novel, constructed with a clever script, and acted right on the money. Still, as good a movie as High Fidelity is something was bothersome throughout never allowing me to really let go and fully enjoy its many merits. And the more I think about it the more I’m convinced that my bad feelings have less to do with what I’m like and more to do with what I like, or in this particular case, don’t like.

I don’t like the characters in this movie. They all seem self-absorbed, condescending, and a bit dim. From top to bottom these are the kind of people that try to make you feel dumb in order to feel better about themselves sarcastically heaving witticisms and trivia tidbits full force to prove to the world that they are indeed more than they appear to be. These are needy, attention seeking people, self-absorbed souls who refuse to give of themselves. They point fingers at others and blame them for their own shortcomings yet anytime they are faced with opposition, true steadfast opposition, they cave like little sissies. They are knowledgeable about one certain thing in their lives but alienate themselves from the rest of the world because of their pomposity and social arrogance. I don’t like the characters in this movie and that fact alone makes High Fidelity less than it could have been.

Oh yea, the plot…

High Fidelity’s plot revolves around the former ladies and current girlfriend of record store owner Rob. The movie opens with Rob staring into the camera running off the “top five greatest break-ups in my life,” thus setting the stage for the movie to show each break-up as Rob provides commentary. In this series of crash and burn vignettes there are ups, there are downs, and there are more top five lists than an issue of Rolling Stone. Sometimes we laugh. Sometimes we feel sad. Rob mopes around his apartment, dumps on his girlfriends with his insecurities, dumps on his co-workers with his arrogance, and dumps on himself for dumping on everyone else. Yet somehow, in the end, everyone finds love. Isn’t that special?

Yes, this movie made me bitter. Still, I cannot deny that the writing, acting, cinematography, and quirkiness are all reasons to tune in. I only wish the characters were more likable. If they were, I think we wouldn’t have been subjected to unneeded repetition brought on by Rob’s obsession with reliving his top five break-ups and subsequent search for these women in the present. His obsession and the movie’s telling it all added little to the story and merely introduced more unlikable characters and more reason to dislike the main ones. Perhaps if Rob would have compared his relationships to those of his co-workers Dick and Barry instead of tirelessly harping on his own failures, these characters would have become more robust and Rob truly would have changed from a self-obsessed, needy, cry-baby into the one woman man we’re told he has become in the conclusion.

Meeting a new person who shares your interests is the ultimate rush. High Fidelity does a wonderful job at showing how this type of meeting can cause the end of any relationship for the potential start of a new one. It handles this concept so well (and the inevitable decision to finally “turn off” those receptors when we plan on “settling down”) that it gave me chills and dare I say, déjà vu reflecting on my own experiences. I have never seen a movie handle this particular topic so well. However, with personalities this selfish wandering the canvas High Fidelity leaves me wondering where love truly existed, if it existed at all amongst these characters. Even after we’re supposedly told love has won the day I hardly feel convinced.

Regardless, High Fidelity will certainly please romantic comedy aficionados of all stripes with its many exceptional merits no matter how much disgust you feel towards its characters. High Fidelity is a good film but it could have been so much more.