HIGH FIDELITY review

In 1990, Stephen Frears and John Cusack teamed up on a wonderful little film called THE GRIFTERS. Critics and cinephiles generally loved the film, and coming on the heels of Frears’ DANGEROUS LIAISONS... it was looking like Stephen was going to be brilliant for many years, but wasn’t. I enjoy the HERO, but not very much. MARY REILLY just... wasn’t working for me. THE HI-LO COUNTRY? Blah. It’s been 10 years since Stephen Frears kicked my ass.

Tonight, my ass was kicked hard.

I woke up early this SXSW Friday morning. The night before I’d been out partying with various members of the AICN gang, specifically a large selection of the AICN GAL PALS and the Dude. This was a film vacation night. Smack dab in the middle of the festival, surrounded by films that we had heard low buzz on, a bit hazy eyed from the low-light world of a theater... Our mouths nearly trapped in the Lock Jaw world of theater induced silence... We decided to cut loose at a local bar/club where Aaron Neville was... Well, being a Neville. I was slinging back 32 oz glasses of Crown and Coke and slurring my speech till 5a.m.... so when I awoke at 10a.m. You better believe I was bright eyed and bushy-tailed.

I started off this day seeing a wretched pile of cinematic dung sans the life of buzzing flies. My back began spasming as I left this showing of this unmentionable heap. I felt listless. Back hurting from terrible Wichita Falls hotel bed, Dad’s neck was assaulted by the Hampton Inn pillow of death. The past 23 days of traveling... the bad back, terrible film and just general exhaustion was beginning to wear me down to a dull point.

As I leaned up against the side of this building next to the PARAMOUNT THEATER, I tried to pop my back, to work out this knot. It began spasming. I could feel the pain jutting through me. A slight gallow’s grimace crossing my face. I am in a very non-personable mood. I really wanted to be at home, in a hot tub, trying to relax the tension that this frigging Tingler had on my frafinugin spine.

Finally, the theater begins to fill in, and I move instantly to my fourth row center seat, snap between the incomparable Claire Standish and the wet minx, Annette Kellerman. In front of me was Tom Joad and behind me was Peter Blood or Flesh Gordon... I can’t recall.

The audience is all a buzz that John Cusack, Tim Robbins and Joan Cusack were there and set to take the stage. And to an indie crowd... thems gods you’re a talking about.

Me? I have my eyes shut, head tilted back, trying to make the screaming pain in my back go away. Annette is trying to massage the knot out, but truth be told, this is the sort of back knot that only a geisha walking upon your back for 17 days can alleviate. Though I appreciate her effort.

Claire tries to soothe me with angelic vocal tidings. But I hurt. Bad.

Charlie, of SXSW and THE SHOW WITH NO NAME fame, steps before the packed 1200+ theater, and does a quick, ‘what a pleasure it is to bring you this film early’ bit and steps from in front of the crowd to some sideline curtains.

People begin to say, “What... no Cusack?”

And then the film begins. Suddenly there was no ‘star-fucking’ desire in the audience. Sure, it’s wonderful to see Garofalo and Jerry Stiller take the stage... but ultimately movies like THE INDEPENDENT and to an even higher degree, HIGH FIDELITY, don’t need it.

HIGH FIDELITY is just wonderful. First there are only two people in the world that could play the lead here. John Cusack and Matthew Broderick... and currently, coming off of BEING JOHN MALKOVICH, Cusack is the most right choice. However, had this film remained set in the U.K. it would have been interesting to see who would have filled the various pop stylings of ‘Rob Gordon’. However, I have to say that I can not imagine anyone ever making a better film out of HIGH FIDELITY.

Stephen Frears and John Cusack really pulled the Lou and Babe, 1 & 2 HR. From the writing team of GROSSE POINT BLANK.... comes a film that, for me, had a throbbing pulse that, while not healing my back, made me forget about the knot for a couple of hours.

Did you ever see FREE ENTERPRISE? It was a fun little film that tried way too hard to be cool regarding a geekish lifestyle. It kept trying to force things, make them fit. It tried to hunk everything out. It tried as hard as it could to be this movie to the film geek audience, but ultimately blew it.

HIGH FIDELITY is dead on for the late twenties to mid thirties, music geek lifestyle romantic comedy type a thing.

For about 70% of my life I sold movie, comics, animation and rock-n-roll memorabilia at expositions, and I just have to say that they so completely nailed the snootery that is prevalent between those that sell and those that buy.

The character that Jack Black portrays is downright genius. I remember people coming in asking for Aquaman comics, me pulling out a box that has the entire run through till about 1976, and then them asking for that ‘fishing lure’ version of Aquaman with that damn whaling thing as an arm. Piece of crap. Or folks talking about a smart Hulk with split personalities “grey/green/banner” and me pulling out a shitload of TALES TO ASTONISH when The Hulk ruled.

There is a certain degree of snobbery that comes in. I’d always listen to their side, but then I’d sit them down, and begin taking them through the history of the character. Teach them the meaning of the phrase, “HULK SMASH” and let them be awakened to a newer more colorful universe of Jack Kirby.

Jack Black’s character at one point in the film is getting a guy hooked on the fact that he simply must own this group of albums to be cool. Walking his purchase up... the first golden rule of a great collectibles salesman. You also must entertain and be able to be an encyclopedia.

Now this is just a minor note of the film, as the film belongs heart and soul to John Cusack and his history of failed relationships, the styles and times of each relationship and folks.... this film delivers supremely. Go check it out. It’s a great Frears/Cusack film.