High Fidelity (Wide Screen) > Reviews

Advantages: Cusack, Black, the memories
Disadvantages: None

...written some great books, with High Fidelity certainly being one of them, but Hornby's books are quintessentially English, so there was certainly a fair amount of trepidation regarding how the book of London would be translated into the film of Chicago. Clearly prior knowledge of the book gives you a prejudiced view of life, but Stephen Frears' adaptation of the novel translates matters quite nicely, playing on the global virtue of love and relationships. The ... Read review

Advantages: Some laughs and wittisms
Disadvantages: Format, weak in parts

...being a bit disappointed by High Fidelity. Was this because I had been looking forward to watching it for a while and when I finally did get to see it was not what I expected? It is not that I disliked it, oh no. I enjoyed it a lot – but I found a few things that bugged me, a lot. I found and felt it could be better. I have not read the Nick Hornby book (on which this is based), so I cannot comment on whether it is as good as the book ... Read review

Advantages: Cusack, Louiso and the wonderful Jack Black
Disadvantages: No starkly clear plotline, but does it matter?

I haven’t read the book ‘High Fidelity’ by Nick Hornby, but I’ve heard that those who have think the film was adapted extremely well, especially considering it was relocated across the pond to the US of A. Nevertheless, this film is a gem and definitely worth a look whether you have read the book or not. It tells the story of Rob Gordon (John Cusack), a music fanatic who owns a record store called Championship Vinyl in Chicago. ... Read review

Advantages: n/a
Disadvantages: n/a

High Fidelity, what a title eh! And what a film. This film is different to other films on the market at the moment. It’s got a totally different angle to it. You may have seen this around and thought ‘well I don’t like comedy films all that much’ or ‘it’s a music film, I can’t be bothered with that’. If you did, sorry, but your soooo wrong! The film does have a lot of musical surroundings and also, is ... Read review

Advantages: Great movie featuring great actors
Disadvantages: None I could think of

...specific direction. They just happen. High Fidelity is one of them. Rob (John Cusack) has been left by his girlfriend Laura (Iben Hjejle). Everything was going well, more or less. The usual small problems. It wasn't perfect, because 'perfect' doesn't exist, but as good as it gets. And now she just left him. Rob is crushed. And it isn't the first time, of course. Laura isn't the first woman that's left him. So he goes through the women who left ... Read review

Advantages: Extremely engaging, funny, warm and clever
Disadvantages: None for me

Rob Gordon makes lists. He has a top 5 of everything, including people. Superficial? Yes, and he knows it. It helps him get through life if he can catalogue its events and heartaches and file them away in neat little piles. Or so he thinks. When his girlfriend Laura leaves him, he copes by categorising the break-up of their relationship and analysing it against his all-time top 5 break-ups. Well, he thinks he copes. As he begins to rehash his old ... Read review

Advantages: stays very faithful to the book
Disadvantages: Tim Robbins and Joan Cusack don't fit in

...happy because I'd partaken of High Fidelity on DVD, now its supposedly a comedy with a love-theme and I usually don't go for that kind of film, but 3 things influenced my decision, 1. WHSmith were doing a 3 for the price of 2 deal on all DVD's and I was determined to get a free disc, 2. I've read the book and its not that bad and finally 3. Jack Black was in it, now a lot of you may not know Jack, but he was the one that stole the show in Cable Guy ... Read review

Advantages: Acting
Disadvantages: not as good as the book

This romantic comedy charts the topsy turvy life of Rob Gordon (John Cusack), the owner of a failing record shop in Chicago. He is a music fanatic who spends his working day at Championship Vinyl with his two employees Dick (Todd Louiso) and Barry (Jack Black). The music is the backbone of their lives and they live for it and it sets the mood of the film well. The start of the film sees Rob splitting up with his long term girlfriend, Laura (Iben ... Read review

Advantages: Good Film, excellent performances fromt he whole cast, very funny in places
Disadvantages: Should have been in London

...his previous relationships has its high and low points, but it is told really well. Cusack is a wonderful Rob, he manages to convey his feelings and thoughts really well, bringing across what is ultimately a pretty self-obsessed character. He shows the gentler side of Rob to, the confused and hurting side of the one that's been dumped. Much of the story is told by Cusack narrating at the camera, as if he is speaking to the audience, and it really ... Read review

Advantages: John Cusack on top form. The qualities of the book remain intact. Simply smarter, funnier and more believeable than all other films of this kind.
Disadvantages: The only conceivable drawback is that some women might not find it all that interesting, male-centric as the story often is.

...figure. Translated to the big-screen, High Fidelity needed someone capable of investing Rob Gordon with all the subtleties and contradictions of Hornby's literary creation. John Cusack, if anyone, was surely the man. And so it proved. Adapting a much-loved and best-selling book can be a dicey business, but here Cusack and director Stephen Frears have pulled it off superbly. Despite the story's relocation to the US, none of the charm or relevance ... Read review

Advantages: Good soundtrack
Disadvantages: Poor adaptation of a good book

Do you like compiling Top 5 lists? If you do, then this is the film for you. Adapted from a Nick Hornby novel, John Cusack stars is the lead role as Rob Gordon, the downtrodden, neurotic record store owner, whose store, Championship Vinyl is rarely frequented by a customer. A lot of this may be down to his less than welcoming assistant Barry played by Jack Black, who loves to belittle people who he deems do not have the same level of musical knowledge ... Read review

Advantages: very close to the book
Disadvantages: well, except it's based in America!

Being a fan of the original book put me off seeing this movie for a while, but I’ll admit, I was wrong. Even though the film version has been set in Chicago, USA instead of London. Even though they bypassed the authors Bruce Springsteen obsession in favour of Belle and Sebastian. And even though they filled out the cast with a group of beautiful women and put John Cusack as the story’s central loser, this is actually a remarkably faithful ... Read review