High Fidelity (2000)
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The story
Rob Gordon is a music enthusiast and record store owner in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood who finds himself despondent after being abruptly dumped by his live-in girlfriend of two years, Laura. To cope with the loss and understand his personal failings, Rob decides to create a 'Top 5' list of his most memorable breakups. He embarks on a journey to reconnect with his former partners, attempting to reconcile with his past while navigating his current identity as a music obsessive. Amidst the bustling local music scene, Rob must confront his insecurities and the reality of his relationships while trying to move forward from his recent heartbreak.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Rob Gordon, a music enthusiast and owner of Championship Vinyl in Chicago, is devastated after his girlfriend Laura leaves him. He creates a 'Top 5' list of past breakups to process his feelings. He reconnects with several former flames: Allison, a middle school crush; Penny Hardwick, a high school girlfriend; Charlie Nicholson, a serious but vain relationship; and Sarah Kendrew, a mentally unwell former partner. During these encounters, Rob confronts his own insecurities and the reality of these past connections. He eventually learns that his breakup with Laura was his most significant. After a period of stalking his new boyfriend and a one-night stand with a singer named Marie, Rob attends the funeral of Laura's father. This event leads to a realization of his lack of commitment. Laura and Rob briefly reconcile, but Rob realizes his obsession with other women is a fantasy compared to her reality. He eventually proposes to her, but she encourages him to pursue his passion for DJing. The film concludes with Rob and his friends celebrating a new album release, with Rob creating a special mixtape for Laura.
- First release year
- 2000
- Runtime (minutes)
- 114
- Production countries
- United Kingdom; United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Stephen Frears
- Writers
- D. V. DeVincentis · screenplay; Steve Pink · screenplay; John Cusack · screenplay; Scott Rosenberg · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- John Cusack · Rob Gordon; Jack Black · Barry; Lisa Bonet · Marie DeSalle; Joelle Carter; Joan Cusack; Sara Gilbert; Iben Hjejle · Laura; Todd Louiso · Dick; Lili Taylor; Natasha Gregson Wagner; Catherine Zeta-Jones; Tim Robbins
- Genres
- romantic comedy-drama; rock music
- Themes
- identity; romance; music obsession; growth
- Tone and mood
- comedic; dramatic
- Premise and plot tags
- road trip; romance; musical; coming-of-age
- Source material / true-story basis
- 1995 novel of the same name by Nick Hornby
- Reception
- The film received highly positive reviews from critics, who praised the cast's performances and Frears' direction.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 91% · scale: percentage · review count: 165; Metacritic · score: 79 · scale: 100 · review count: 35
- Awards and nominations
- Golden Globe Award · Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy · nomination
- Production trivia
- The film was credited with increasing the record sales of the British indie rock group The Beta Band.; The film was included in a list of the top 40 movies ever filmed in Chicago.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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