classicsoncall Well, I don't know. The further one goes back on the IMDb 'Top 250' lists, the quality of pictures that made it seems to get weaker and weaker, and here's an example. "High Fidelity" was at #205 in the year 2000 when it first came out, dropping to #241 the following year. That it doesn't appear again since should not surprise discerning movie watchers. It's entertaining enough if stuff like this is your thing, but really, should a twelve year old that you made out with once for a total of six hours over the course of three days be on your Top Five All-Time Break Up List? By the end of the story, you'll more than realize that Rob Gordon (John Cusack) seriously needs to get a life. But by that time, you'll probably be bored to tears over his incessant barrage on the fourth wall of your viewing screen. I will say I got a kick out of Jack Black's character Barry, the snobbishly arrogant music fan who works at Rob's 'Championship Vinyl' record shop. The same with Dick (Todd Louiso), but come to think of it, do you think they collected a paycheck there? I tend to doubt it, as most of the time, it was only the three of them in the store at any given time. And this is the only time I've ever seen Lisa Bonet as an adult after all those years as Cliff Huxtable's daughter on 'The Cosby Show'. So that was a surprise, and a very good looking one too. The one thing I'll agree with though is that "Books, records, films..., these things matter", otherwise I wouldn't be posting reviews here on IMDb. But as a service to adults over say, the age of thirty, save yourself the frustration of sitting thought this picture. Chances are you lived through the angst of this story yourself already, and who needs to be reminded of all that? And if you have your own Top Five list of All-Time Break Ups, better chuck it before the wife or significant other find it, or you'll be talking to the TV yourself.

HotToastyRag In one of the last classicly '90s films, High Fidelity, John Cusack stars as a classicly '90s hero: he's single in his thirties, doesn't know why, and wants more than anything to be in a relationship. Nowadays, that type of man doesn't really exist anymore; he got married in 2000.As John reflects on his past relationships, he talks to the audience and exposes them to his work and friends. He works at a record shop, and music is a huge part of his life, so if you can't really identify with him in his romantic troubles or his love of music, you will probably find the movie irritating and boring. As it is, I'm a '90s kid, but a little on the younger side, and I think I might have missed the core demographic of this movie by a few years. I'm not entranced by vinyl, and I tended to see the main character's shortcomings rather than his qualities.While nostalgia is a good reason to pick up this movie, you might also want to watch it for the supporting cast. Jack Black, Catherin Zeta-Jones, Joan Cusack, Tim Robbins, Lisa Bonet, Lili Taylor, Natasha Wagner, and Iben Hjejle all contribute to this colorful film in their own way. I didn't end up liking High Fidelity, but I don't usually like dark comedies or quirky romances.

Antonius Block This movie captures so perfectly the perspective of many who love music: to have such passion for a band, to take pride in knowing lesser known artists, their influences, and music trivia, and to snobbishly judge others for what they listen to, even though it's all of course personal and subjective. It's also a pretty good movie about the difficulty of relationships. John Cusack is talented, funny, and likable as a record store owner floundering his way through breakups, mainly because as much as he's an expert on music, he's a dunce about women. He often talks directly to the camera, drifting back to memories and musing over various 'top five' lists. The film also has a fantastic supporting cast, including Jack Black in his breakout role, Joan Cusack in some great scenes opposite her brother, Lisa Bonet, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Tim Robbins among others. Quirky and well- done, this film has something for everyone.

Michael Mendez Now this one was a tough call. Everyone knows how much I love movies with LOVE and HEARTBREAK, but this sort of took me by surprise, and NOT really in a good way. I watched this film first when I was nine, when my dad took me to see it. I probably didn't understand a word and was confused why the main character is hurt so much by a girl.. // What I do remember pondering was how Jack Black was the BEST! and how much I felt bad for the character, Dick (Todd Louiso), who takes so much shyt from him. Viewing it now, as a film student and somewhat a critic, I think he is the best part of the movie. No Joke! We all have those people in our life that make us feel a little awkward and just ask too many god-damn questions. I think he changes the most throughout the film, too. In fact, our main protagonist, Rob (played by John Cusack), does not change at all. That is why I am not being too reviewer-friendly with this entry.The thing is: I am a realist (sort of). I like movies to speak to me; give me some answers to the things that I should already know that I have not fully grasped yet. That, and the fact that I want to relate with something. But this story let me down towards the end. - I swear, that rarely happens.****Seriously, though! It is a universal understanding that "once a cheater, always a cheater", and I do not take it lightly when someone ends up with the wrong person in the end. I wish it finished more truthfully; BETTER CLOSURE FOR THE BROKEN HEARTED. Not the old 90s ending where everything is okay, because it is not. Especially, for the viewer who, chances are, is alone and wonders why they cannot connect with anyone. I can go on forever, ranting about how I was let down in the climax of this film, but I do not want to bore you - and frankly, I do not want to write negatively about any project. **Maybe in ten more years, when I am a completely different person than I am now, I might enjoy the corniness, but as of right now - Too cliché (ONLY IN THE END, THOUGH).I rate this film a 6 out of 10. It honestly hurts me to do this, because I WANTED to like it. Really, I did! I WANTED it to be good, and a ahead of its time. In the end, I think it was nothing but an afternoons delight. — Heart-on!— Michael Mendez