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HIGH FIDELITY (2000) (****)

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This is one of my favorite films from the last few years. Something new impresses me about it every time I see it. Romantic comedies are rarely this good. But than romantic comedy characters are rarely written by Nick Hornby.

This unconventional rom-com follows Rob Gordon (John Cusack, SAY ANYTHING…) as he struggles to discover why his girlfriend, Laura (Iben Hjejle, in her American film debut), has broken up with him. He makes humorous asides to the camera that comment on his mental state and what he's learning about himself in the process. He's a disgruntled record storeowner, who sits around all day debating music with his two employees, Barry (Jack Black, ORANGE COUNTY) and Dick (Todd Louiso, JERRY MAGUIRE). He'd love to be a record producer, but doesn't have the confidence to take the risk.

In a way to find himself, he reunites with past girlfriends. His top five break-up list. He finds comfort in Sarah Kendrew (Lili Taylor, SAY ANYTHING…), because she's more messed up than he is. Charlie Nicholson (Catherine Zeta-Jones, THE MASK OF ZORRO) was is college girl who is that girl that haunts you because you never know how you were able to get them in the first place and don't know what you did to make them leave. Later he finds solace in the beautiful singer Marie De Salle (Lisa Bonet, TV's THE COSBY SHOW), who seems to be his ideal woman, but what does ideal woman mean anyway?

Cusack is perfect for the role. He has always had an effortless charm, so he can be a jerk at times and we still like him. And he never tries to make us like Rob, so he lets truth come out in the character. Black's performance as Barry is magnificent, a character that is so rarely seen on the screen, but someone we all know in real life. The arrogant know-it-all who is frustrated by others who know less about his chosen field of expertise whether it be music, movies, sports, sports cards or some science fiction film and/or TV show. A geek blow-hard. And I can't forget Tim Robbins as Ian, Laura's new new-age boyfriend. You smell patchouli every time he's on the screen.

My only complaint is that Laura seems underdeveloped because she receives so little screen time of her own that is not somehow filtered through Rob's perspective. But then isn't that how we perceive anyone? Everyone we know can't avoid our own filter of them.

What the film says about the crippling effect of male fantasies is so honest that it hurts. Plus, it's a comedy that's really, really funny. I still laugh at my favorite scenes even though I've seen them dozens of times. That's the true test of a good comedy in my book. I can't stress how wonderful this film is and you don't have to know anything about modern music to enjoy it on the same level that I do. It's simply a great movie.

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Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
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