Over the past years there has been a spattering of mention of my appreciation for the 2000 Stephen Frears feature High Fidelity here on my blog. Now I would like to pause to mention some of my favorite bits from the film.
For the uninitiated, here is the logline:
When his live-in girlfriend walks out on him, a Chicago-based music store owner with a penchant for top-five lists, goes on a path of self-exploration.
Source: Wikiscreenplay
The ensemble cast, lead by John Cusack, features Iben Hjejle, Jack Black, Todd Louiso, Lisa Bonet, Sara Gilbert, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Tim Robbins.
While I have not read the Nick Hornby book on which the film is based (set in London), I look forward to reading it (someday). To date, I have read one of Hornby’s autobiographical books (31 Songs) and am currently reading his most recently published novel, Juliet, Naked, published in 2009.
For me what makes High Fidelity an enjoyable watch is … frankly everything! From the witty dialogue to the effective use of the pieces to camera, I can watch this film over and over again. But above all else, the use of music throughout the movie sends this film to another level for me. In fact, whenever I catch the film, I watch it all the way through to the end credits so I can hear one of my favorite Stevie Wonder tunes (Note: do not watch if you have not seen film — possible spoiler):
As hard as it was to do, I have narrowed down the list of some of my favorite scenes from the film (WARNING: Some clips contains explicit language):
LET’S GET IT ON
“MUSICAL SNOBS”
TOP 5 SONGS ABOUT DEATH
BONUS: “Stevie Wonder/Cosby Sweater”
Now for the bad news – as with any soundtrack that you may decide to purchase there will be notable and disappointing omissions. Take a look at this Wikipedia entry about the soundtrack, which includes music played in the film, but not on the purchasable soundtrack.
Go ahead; make your own mix tape.
What did you think about this film? Are there any films in your library that resonate the same way for you?
