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High Fidelity
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Release
Date: July 21st 2000
Distributor: Buena
Vista international
Certificate: 15
Starring: John
Cusack, Iben Hjejle, Todd Louiso, Jack Black, Tim Robbins, Joan Cusack,
Lisa Bonet, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Natasha Gregson Wagner
Director: Stephen
Frears
Running Time: 113
mins
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John
Cusack stars in this hilarious adaptation of Nick Hornsby's best selling
novel. Originally set in North London, the movie has taken the action to
Chicago where Rob Gordon (Cusak) is the owner of a ramshackle record store,
in which he sells music the old-fashioned way, on vinyl.
A self-confessed vinyl junkie, Rob and his two typical record shop employees,
examine his failed attempts at romance and happiness, when his long time
girlfriend, Laura (Iben Hjejle) walks out on him leaving him to re-evaluate
his life. |
| If you
are of an age to remember buying vinyl, searching the racks of second hand
record shops for that precious Beatles/Stones/Pink Floyd/Led Zeppelin (delete
as applicable or insert something of your own taste...), you will probably
recognise the people in this film Rod's two odd employees Dick (Todd Louiso)
and Barry (Jack Black), are straight out of the Camden store that was brought
alive in Hornsby's book, the producers may have decided to relocate the
action, but the characters are just perfect. All three of them sit in the
shop all day discussing the most important thing in the world - music. To
support their views they have become masters at list-making...(TOP FIVE
SONGS FOR LETTING THE PERSON WHO DUMPED YOU KNOW THAT EVEN THOUGH THEY BROKE
YOUR HEART YOU CAN’T GET OVER THEM, TOP FIVE MEMORABLE BREAK UPS, TOP
FIVE THINGS ROB MISSES ABOUT LAURA, TOP FIVE...well anything you want really) |
| As well
as starring in the production, Cusack was also brought onboard as co-writer
and co-producer, and his oBuena Vista Internationalous love of the book shows through in every
aspect of the film. As would be expected a movie set in a record shop has
an interesting soundtrack, no modern hip hop/dance/rock crossovers here,
obscure artists and collectors faves like 13th FLOOR ELEVATORS, VELVET UNDERGROUND,
LOVE and ELVIS COSTELLO dominate, giving a real retro-vinyl feel. |
The
book was a best seller which appealled to men (who all thought it was about
them) and women (who thought it explained what men really think about -
it does), and this movie sticks so closely to the feel of the book, even
down to what Cusack called the 'bottom notes' (the bits of the book that
reveal what rob is thinking) which were handled by 'Alfie' style comments
direct to the camera, that it should be a huge succsess.
See it with your partner and enjoy.
By Clayton Everett |
