High Fidelity

Alright guys, I have to first apologize for this post because it's going to be cheesy, schmaltzy crap about how High Fidelity has quietly played a major part in my life in terms of emotions and things.

Before I delve into that history though, let's talk about how good a movie High Fidelity is. For those who haven't seen it, it stars John Cusack as a record store owner who is going through a brutal break-up with his current girlfriend and how he uses music and talking to the camera to fill the audience in on how he ended up where he is.

A large part of the way this movie works is it's love and use of music. I mean, duh. I know next to nothing about music, as is the case with most things, but I certainly appreciate it. Thankfully, it doesn't matter if you love music or not when it comes to this movie because at its core, High Fidelity is addressing fandom and elitism and of course relationships all at once in a way that makes both the elite and the casuals feel included.


It's weird knowing that I loved this movie at the age of 14. I immediately responded to the notion of loving and knowing so much about something that I couldn't even relate to most people. Forget about relationships, I loved movies in a way that no one else could. And John Cusack talking directly at me about how intimate and special it is to have such a love struck a chord. Again, I really didn't care about music, but having a ridiculously likable actor in a ridiculously likable movie tell me how meaningful it is to truly care about something special just resonated with me.

And then I had a relationship. And then it ended. And then I watched this movie again. DEVASTATION.


High Fidelity had officially become the ultimate " I feel sorry for myself" movie for me. It didn't matter that the movie actually ends ( SPOILER ALERT ) with a very natural and not entirely definite conclusion for the main couple. The bulk of the movie was about the pain of a major break-up and how an elitist of the Nth degree deals with such an event. Anytime I felt emotional I put either this or The Notebook in. ( The Notebook was reserved for especially " I'm sorry nobody loves me!" bouts) .


But then something happened. I met someone. His name was Bruce. Bruce Willis. Turns out I loved him all along. Then I met some girl named Katy. And four or five years later I gave High Fidelity another shot.


And it's just as good, but in an entirely different way.  Like I said, the movie is about elitism and dealing with people and changing relationships, and over the course of time has come to resemble the artifact of a couple trying to keep it together.

I love my wife. I don't need an awesome movie or monologue to tell me otherwise. But I sure don't mind a good movie like High Fidelity to remind me of it.

I should be clear here. Nothing that happens to John Cusack and his girlfriend in High Fidelity has happened to myself and what's her name. No cheating ( besides guys for me ) and no abortions ( that I know of ), but just average everyday couple shit that happens. And it's nice to see a ridiculously likable actor in a ridiculously likable movie tell me how meaningful it is to truly care about something or someone special in a way that completely resonates with me.

I might still have nights where I want to put in High Fidelity for entirely self loathing reasons, but at least now I have someone who is legally forced to deal with me and my emotions. Thanks, you. *winks*