In an attempt at self-discovery, Rob looks up his old girlfriends to find out where he went wrong. High Fidelity is based on Nick Hornby's novel, which Cusack adapted with the same team that wrote Grosse Pointe Blank . Like that film, High Fidelity is firmly ensconced in an environment that makes perfect sense to its denizens while appearing crazy to anyone else. They know more about these type of records than anyone else, and will let you know it. They do not just think about music, they think through music.
Music defines their lives, their feelings, and their relations with others.
Many of the laughs are at these characters' expense, particularly Rob. Cusack is surprisingly adept at pratfalls. But it is more from examining Rob's frailties, faults, prejudices and insecurities that the story derives much of its humor. With the exception of Laura, the other women in High Fidelity are more archetypes through which we can see Rob's misery and mistakes. The story cleverly parallels Rob's progression by making Laura seem inconsequential at first but gradually developing her as Rob realizes she's the one.