a record store owner has women trouble

Rating: 9/10 (14 June 2013)

John Cusack stars in "High Fidelity," a 2000 film directed by Stephen Frears and also featuring Jack Black, Iben Hjele, Todd Louiso, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Joan Cusack, and Lisa Bonet.
High Fidelity is about a record store owner, Rob (Cusack) who expresses his thoughts verbally throughout the film. Those thoughts mainly have to do with his failed relationships. And there have been many.
He's hilarious and totally obsessive. When his ex-girlfriend Laurie (Iben Hjele) tells him that she hasn't slept with his old upstairs neighbor and her new boyfriend Ian (Tim Robbins) yet, it drives him crazy. In the record store, he asks one of the guys who works for him, Barry (Black), "If I told you I hadn't seen The Evil Dead yet, would you think I was going to?" An argument ensues. "But you have seen it," Barry says. "I'm confused - why would you ask me if you were going to see a movie you've already seen twice?" The scenes that take place in the record store between Rob, Barry, and Dick (Barry and Dick are part-timers who show up every day) and their top five lists are priceless.
Eventually Rob's focus on his ex-girlfriends and his stalking of Laura and her new boyfriend Ian evolves into questions about his life and his level of commitment, not just to women, but to life itself.
There's nothing new about men who fantasize about ideal relationships while they're in a real one, nothing new about men who can't make a commitment, but there's something so fresh about High Fidelity - the interesting characters, the music, and the wonderful acting.
Jack Black nearly walks away with the film. He has some of the best dialogue, too, and I will only say, wait until the end of the movie. Though Todd Louiso has a less showier role, he's no less funny, and he's created a music nerdy type character, quiet but no less passionate.
John Cusack is adorable as an exhausted, frustrated suitor, and it's understandable that Rob has attracted so many attractive women. Holding onto one is his problem. Iben Hjele as Laura, his last girlfriend, had something about her that reminded me of Scarlett Johansson, her mannerisms perhaps, but she was charming and did an excellent job. What can I say - everyone was good.
Don't miss this, no matter what. A wonderful message about living your life instead of dreaming, and learning what's possible.