John Cusack's character in 'High Fidelity (2000)' is an absolute jerk. He's a self-obsessed, gatekeeping musical elitist who doesn't care about anyone other than himself and frequently throws temper tantrums when he experiences consequences for his own bad behaviour, which he typically contorts to be the fault of anyone other than himself. He frequently launches into misogynistic tirades against women and their perceived cruelty, actively blaming them for all the problems he himself creates. Plus, his ultimate arc is learning to treat his partner as an actual person (wow, how brave). An unlikable protagonist doesn't automatically make a bad movie, though. The flick is generally rather interesting when it gets going. The hero's hypocritical and otherwise unhealthy behaviour is oddly compelling to see, his descent into self-destruction providing something not often seen in a film's leading man. His actions are an example of what not to do in his situation. However, it does also mean that we're more likely to root for his continued suffering than any sort of catharsis, even though it could be argued that he - like pretty much everyone else - should be afforded a second chance in the end (despite most of his behaviour actively harming almost all of the women in his life). He's often insufferable, to be honest, and that does keep you at an arm's length for most of the runtime. Still, the flick is typically entertaining enough for what it is. Some of its stylistic elements don't quite work, but it's generally a competent and confident affair. The film often breaks the fourth-wall in a fairly banal way, simply using the technique to replace disembodied narration, and yet this element is sometimes strangely satisfying. The overall experience is a bit too long and, even, slightly repetitive, but it's decent enough. It would probably have been better if its protagonist was flawed but not (nearly) irredeemably so, as is the case here. Regardless of this, though, the flick is fairly fun. It isn't great, but it's good enough. 6/10.
Review of High Fidelity
