Rating: Summary: Please! Review: I HATE this movie. I hated the book. And I plead to the masses: Is there ANYBODY out there who agrees that Jack Black's performance was NOT "brilliant scene stealing" and "hilarious?" Does anyone agree that in this entire cast of annoying characters, Jack Black was the most grating of them all? Anyone? Please... Somebody...
Rating: Summary: Please! Review: Is there ANYBODY out there who agrees that Jack Black's performance was NOT "scene stealing" and "hilarious?" Does anyone agree that in a cast of annoying characters that he was the most grating of them all? Anyone? Please... Somebody...
Rating: Summary: Great movie, Barry and Dick rock. Review: The movie in a my opinion starts off reviewing relationships that could've happened to any normal guy. John Cusack (Rob) seems to reflect all of us. The book which is based in London, is followed faithfully by the movie.(except for the fact that the movie takes place in Chicago) We also find out that Laura,Robs faithful girlfriend has left, leaving Rob an empty shell of a man. Next we are introduced to Championship Vinyl a Semi-Failing record store that lies in a not too popular part of Chicago. Here we find the comic relief of the movie, Dick and Barry. Barry's part is played brilliantly by Jack Black. And Dick's part is played by Todd Louiso. Rob along with his two sidekicks spend the store parts of the movie, dumping on customers who have no musical knowledge and coming up with top five lists. Rob becomes obsessed with getting Laura back and eventually does. And in the end everybody's happy. But it's not corny or sugary at all. Overall the scenes in the record shop are the best and should be watched multiple times to get all the subtle references and jokes.
Rating: Summary: One of the years best! Review: A new comedy featuring John Cusack. This is a comedy of a guy who is completely unlucky with women. It isn't that they aren't beautiful, they are all drop dead gorgeous. It is just that he can't seem to keep any of them. John Cusack stars as the unlucky fellow who has had numerous girlfriends, both short and long term, but then once his current girlfriend dumps him, he goes into a "what does it all mean" phase. He explains about his past girlfriends, two of which are in brilliant Cameo performances by Lili Taylor and Catharine Zeta Jones. Even though he is the owner of a Vinyl Record shop, he still is in the pits, the only thing he has, is apartment and 2 looser workers, one being a brilliantly snotty and witty performance by Jack Black. High Fidelity is guaranteed to hit all the funny bones, because this film is the funniest film in years, as well as one of the wittiest, most savagely funny romance since Addicted To Love. It is a rare comedy of great proportions that supplies both laughs in love in an unbeatable comedy. High Fidelity isn't just good, it is one of the rare comedies that leaves a footprint in your brain. Being both sweet and crude at the same time makes it unbelievably cute. With out a doubt, one of the best comedies in years as well as one of the years ten best! A real hoot!
Rating: Summary: You can bypass the trailers on DVD Review: I don't need to embellish the other glowing reviews. This is a great, great film. I, too, am annoyed with DVDs that jam several trailers before the movie on the DVD, but I have had no difficulty in going direct to the menu and skipping the trailers. This film is no exception. Any good DVD player should be able to do the same. Don't avoid this movie because of this minor annoyance. Truth be told, I was first attracted to High Fidelity because it was featured in a trailer on another DVD. In this case, I was glad to have experienced the "annoyance."
Rating: Summary: Very funny Review: This movie starts off with a bang as Rob (the protaganist) is throwing a fit as his girlfriend, Laura is leaving him. Despite the lively start, the movie is a little hard to get into at first but as we see Rob recount failed relationship after failed relationship and his less than calm, cool, collected reaction to being dumped, his life becomes a hilarious running joke. The backdrop is a used record store in Chicago owned by Rob and his two employees, who he somehow tolerates without firing them. These two characters ad to the movie as well developed comic characters. Your sides will ache as you see them kick customers out whose taste in music they don't like. Finally, the feel good ending keeps us laughing without becoming sappy. If you have the right type of sense of humor, this movie is great.
Rating: Summary: Very Good But Not Great Review: I'm a big John Cusack and Stephen Frears fan. They did a really good job on this movie but I can't say a great job. This isn't on the same level as Cusack's "The Grifters" or Frears' "Dangerous Liasions." Perhaps this would have been more of a personal hit with me if Cusack's character had been obsessed with music itself as a musician than obsessed with it as someone who listens to and sell records (yes, records not CDs). Some of the very best scenes in the movie are in his record store itself with his 2 employees and him. I've known people like this, who are absolutely obsessed about knowing everything that ever played in the music world, and they can be very funny. However, the real thrust of the movie is Cusack's character's failed love life. Going through his latest breakup, this time with his current live-in girlfriend, he reviews the 5 greatest romantic breakups in his life and revisits those girlfriends. Seeing how he is and was with these women, I was not surprised that his love life never worked out long range with anyone. I also had mixed reactions to Cusack's contantly breaking into first person narration before the camera, facing us and talking directly to us as the audience. Scorsese used this technique very well in "Goodfellas" with Ray Liotta but it didn't work as seamlessly with "High Fidelity" as it did in "Goodfellas." Nick Hornby, the author of the book, more successfully explored romance and the otherwise obsessed male with the film adaptation of "Fever Pitch," about a football mad Colin Firth who lets his sports watching addiction seriously interfere with his love life.
Rating: Summary: You'll be on a High Review: How to review one of my favorite movies... Quite simply put, you will leave this movie happy. When I was watching the final 10 minutes of the movie, I just had a silly grin slapped to my face, and I coudln't get rid of it for several days. Its just so enjoyable. The characters in the movie are very, very human. Not superhuman, not subhuman - just human. Roger Ebert even says that "I had the feeling I could walk out of the theater and meet the same people on the street--and want to, which is an even higher compliment" (he gave it 4 stars, by the way). You feel for the characters - you want them to be happy, and you are sad when they are not. To sum it up as Rob Gordon would: Top 5 movies (in autobiographical order): -The Empire Strikes Back -Spaceballs -The Shawshank Redemption -The Matrix -High Fidelity Enjoy!
Rating: Summary: Its Only Rock and Roll Review: A story about the life and times of music fanatics in Chicago. John Cusack plays a record store owner, who is going through some life changing experiences. He tries to keep himself protected by his record collection, however the relationships in his life are making him do some serious thinking. Cusack gives a wonderful performance in this film. However, Jack Black is absolutely amazing as one of the record shop employees who lives and breathes music. The scenes in the record store between Cusack and his employees are amazingly well acted and realistic. Everyone knows someone completely obsessed with music, like the characters are in this film. This is definately a film to see if you are a music fan or a musician.
Rating: Summary: Superior Review: A superior piece of art. True, true. true. Smart and smart. Keep an eye on John Cusack and friends.
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