A little touch of soul

Rating: 9/10 (27 June 2002)

High Fidelity: 9 of 10
Let me start out by saying that I made a list of things that I liked about this movie as I watched it for the second time, and I will try my hardest to not turn this review into a list of "things I thought were totally cool about this movie, man."
1. It's not the way you are that's important, it's the things you like. This sentiment was expressed by Rob Gordon / John Cusack during one of his narratives, and is affirmed many times, e.g. when Rob asks Barry about Evil Dead 2, a cult movie with fans of equal standing to the characters in this movie. Why is that this simple plot idea could be so dead on for snobs like you and I? Really, because only a snob would write a review on imdb and only a fellow snob would read it.
2. I would swear that Dick is based upon a guy I know named Lee, except Lee is too good for Belle & Sebastian.
3. Non-linear movie. Think Rashomon. Think Catch 22. Well, not quite to those degrees, but the movie has many flashbacks and much commentary outside the flow of time. The train of thought can be dropped off and picked up later in the movie without acknowledging a gap.
4. "I believe sex is a basic human right," Marie DeSalle. A lot of the movie is tied up in sex, and putting it in the same line as life, love, and the pursuit of happiness makes so much sense. Rob's number one agonization about breakup is sex, Laura has sex to forget her father's death, and ultimately Rob is tired of fantasizing about sex so he gets married. There is something fascinatingly romantic Rob's honest desire to become tired and old.
5. And, the ultimate, record collection as extension of self. Rob rearranges his record collection when he breaks up like he is rearranging his feelings. The fact that Rob puts his records in autobiographical order when he breaks up with Laura shows from the start that Laura not being in the top 5 list is bull, she's number one. We have no indication that Rob did anything nearly as painful when he broke up with Charlie.
To sum it up, I see so much of these full of life characters around me every day in our own quagmirous obsessions.