 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
High Fidelity
- Review Date: May 19, 2003
- R
- Genre: Comedy
- 2000
Common Sense Media says
Funny, neurotic, and charming, but not for kids.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this movie has very strong R-rated material, including explicit sexual references and sex for reasons other than intimacy (one-night stand just for the sex, sex to numb sad feelings). Characters drink and smoke a lot.
What's the story?
In HIGH FIDELITY, Rob Gordon (Jon Cusack) owns a vintage record store called "Classic Vinyl." Only the two hopeless guys who work for him (Jack Black and Todd Luiso) make him feel like a grown-up by comparison. They sit around all day, getting rid of potential customers who are just not cool enough to be allowed to buy their records, endlessly ranking everything in the world. They hyper-critically rate everything except for their own sorry lives. His girlfriend Laura's departure prompts Rob to make a list of his five worst break-ups, which allows him to comfort himself that she is not even on the list. But as he tracks down the five on the list to see if he can figure out what went wrong, he begins to admit to himself that he is deeply wounded, and not just because he feels threatened and competitive at the thought of her new love interest (Tim Robbins). He has to allow himself to understand that "fantasies always seem really great because there aren't any problems," but that he needs to move on to reality.
Is it any good?
Rob asks the audience, "Do I listen to pop music because I was miserable, or am I miserable because I listen to pop music?" He spends more time talking to viewers than he does to any of the other characters in the movie, which is part of the problem. His candor and charm, both considerable, have allowed him to carry his adolescence through his 20s, and he's much more comfortable concocting the definitive list of the best side-one, track-one songs ever than he is thinking about, say, the definitive list of worthwhile things to do with his life. And he has to allow himself to be a little less self-obsessed.
Fortunately, the "professional appreciator" is wise enough to see how special Laura is, and that he can't just "create a sketch of a decent, sensitive guy;" he can actually become one.
Explore, discuss, enjoy
Families can talk about the way people change as they grow up.
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Teen, 16 years old
April 9, 2008
AGE
I love this movie
I love watching this movie every single time. There is some objectional stuff, but you can see that from the little sidebar chart thing. People have sex and drop massive F-bombs. Great story, great music, great commedy. My favorite part is how they show the reality of relationships, and how they really work, while still being good and funny, unlike The Break-Up, which sucked.
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Teen, 15 years old
November 20, 2009
AGE
Know your child...
Fantastic movie. I love John Cusack and is surely one of my top ten favorite movies.
What other families should know:
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| Studio: | Walt Disney Pictures |
| Director: | Stephen Frears |
| Cast: | Catherine Zeta-Jones, John Cusack, Tim Robbins |
| Genre: | Comedy |
| Run time: | 113 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | March 31, 2000 |
| DVD release date: | September 8, 2000 |
| MPAA rating: | R |
| MPAA explanation: | language and some sexuality |
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