2000, R, 113 minutes

The world of music and the world of movies have many things in common, but one of the most prominent is the snob. I'll admit I have touch of film snobbery myself (it's bound to happen to anyone who sees as many films as I do) but I'm also very understanding of the appeal that some films have on the average moviegoer. That's what I hate about music snobs -- they tend to be very stubborn and can't seem to understand the concept of opinion (of course, some film snobs are this way too). Fortunately, the snobs at the heart of High Fidelity aren't built up as gods of the musical ear, which is why this tale of failed relationships manages to work despite the ever-so-present theme and incorporation of music.

High Fidelity follows the life of a record store owner named Rob Gordon (John Cusack) who can't seem to stay in a relationship. Breaking the fourth wall (where a character turns and talks to the audience), he keys us in on his all-time top five list of relationships gone wrong. This all-time top five list is used by the characters throughout the film, which doesn't only delve into the past, but also advances forward as Rob tries to get back together with his latest girlfriend of two years, Laura (Iben Hjejle).

Probably the worst thing a filmmaker can do is to isolate a majority of any audience watching a film. The people behind this collaboration did a brilliant job of applying a music theme without making most of the audience feel like a bunch of outsiders who don't belong in the theater. Cusack's constant talking to the camera gets a little annoying at times and wasn't nearly as smooth as it was in Fight Club, although it works for the most part. The comedy is fresh and original and the inclusion of a few fantasy sequences are absolutely hilarious (particularly a bit with Tim Robbins as a Steven Seagal wanna-be), but the film does take just a tad too long to get going. For about the first twenty minutes I didn't know if I was going to hate it or like it, but shortly after the story pulled me in and before I knew it the credits were rolling.

I've always felt John Cusack is underrated as an actor. Critics generally acknowledge his charisma and talent, but when it comes time for awards and recognition, people often forget he exists (his performances in both Grosse Pointe Blank and Being John Malkovich were excellent). Cusack's performance in High Fidelity is about up to par -- nothing special, but also a solid performance none-the-less. Jack Black is hilarious as Barry, one of Rob's employees at the music shop with an elitist taste for music, and Todd Louiso is solid as a more passive, soft-spoken employee. What is most enjoyable about all of the characters in this film is that they seem like real people, not your typical movie characters with overly complex social dilemmas that most people will never experience.

One important thing I'd like to clarify about High Fidelity is that you don't have to be a music aficionado in order to enjoy it. This is a film about relationships and one man's fear of commitment, which he slowly discovers while analyzing his past. If you generally like original comedies that don't rely on the same old methods of humor, I recommend it.