High Fidelity (2000)

Plot: A record store owner and compulsive list maker, recounts his top five breakups, including the one in progress.

Stars:  John Cusak, Jack Black. Iben Hjejle

High Fidelity is one of those movies that's hard to rate.  Part of the movie, the one that focuses on the record store and the clerks and customers, is absolutely hysterical.  Jack Black in particular is pitch perfect as the obnoxious know-it-all store clerk who refuses to sell records to the "wrong-type" customer, and attacks everyone else's musical tastes.  

However, that's only 1/3 of the movie. Two thirds is about John Cusak and his current/past bad relationships. Cusak isn't bad and and  there's a funny bit with Tim Robbins - but on the whole ,its somewhat boring and mediocre.  Cusak and Hjejle had no chemistry and it was hard for me to care.  So, five stars for the record store part,  two starts for the rest of the movie.   Composite rating ***

Favorite Quote:

[Rob turns off Barry's tape]

Barry: OK, buddy, uh, I was just tryin' to cheer us up so go ahead. Put on some old sad bastard music, see if I care.
Rob: I don't wanna hear old sad bastard music, Barry, I just want something I can ignore.
Barry: Here's the thing. I made that tape special for today. My special Monday morning for *you*... special.
Rob: Well, it's Monday afternoon! You should get out of bed earlier!