A John Cusack vehicle, screenplay and star, about learning to commit.

Rating: Null/10 (20 September 2000)

John Cusack co-wrote the screenplay and starred in "High Fidelity", as a record-store owner in Chicago who had endless "top 5 lists" about almost everything, but found himself in a series of relationships that went nowhere. Inside he was a very unhappy person. The story is about his character and how he finally realized that fantasies are just that, and happiness depends on one's ability to accept reality and "commit."
The movie has a number of famous actors in "cameo" roles that are essential to the plot development - Tim Robbins, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Bruce Springsteen, are the ones I remember.
Cusack's love interest is played by a foreign actress whose name I can't pronounce. It is interesting that two female "American" characters were played by foreign actresses, who did a good job but always sounded like foreign actresses playing Americans, if you know what I mean. Slightly distracting.
The DVD has a number of interesting extras, including good interviews with the director and Cusack. Plus, the deleted scenes add some enjoyment.
I give this movie an 8 of 10, but that is a high 8. It is a good story and Cusack does his usual fine job of playing a quirky character.