High Fidelity

A detailed Summary of High Fidelity

On the surface, High Fidelity is a story about breaking up and getting back together again. Only, thanks to director Stephen Frears' narrative technique, we don't realize this until the credits start to roll. He plunges into the life of Rob Gordon, played by John Cusack, on the night his girlfriend, Laura, leaves him. Rob's subsequent depression and self-analysis is the focus of the film; getting the girl back becomes secondary.

Rob's frustration from his break up with Laura reminds him of all of his other failed relationships, specifically, his "Top Five All Time Break Ups List". His recounts of each girl are interspersed throughout the first half of the film. We only learn about Laura as we learn about Rob's past. Consequently, the main part of the narrative is either flashbacks or direct commentary by Rob to the audience. This might seem to be a weakness, but it is in fact a vehicle for Frear to move the present plot forward. It is only through understanding Rob's past, that we can understand his current angst. In addition, the slow revelation of the causes for his and La

The perspective of the film is further reinforced by the way in which Rob speaks directly into the camera. It gives the film a quickly paced, informal structure. Yet Frear doesn't trap the audience in Rob's perspective alone. Rather, it is the supporting cast that really defines Rob for us. Rob gives us commentary on an event, but we get to see the cast members physically create the event and judge for ourselves. Basically, we see how he learns to live in the real world. Instead of perpetually feeling sorry for himself and blaming other people, he starts acknowledging his own failings. His concept of his whole dating history and his idea of relationships start to change. He is beginning to mature. The plot rewards this maturity with the return of Laura into his life. Rob's new appreciation and maturity is shown in the final sequence in which he tells the audience he is making a mix tape for Laura, full of things that she will like.

In his struggle to understand his current break up, Rob becomes obsessed with his past relationships, and decides to go out with them all again and ask them what

Some common words found in the essay are:
Ups List, Rob Rob, Laura Fidelity, John Cusack, Stephen Frears', , Rob Gordon, understand current, rob's past, break rob,

Approximate Word count = 748
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Movies

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High Fidelity

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