Once we look again at John Cusack’s expressive and bruised-heart romantic Rob Gordon in “High Fidelity” a quarter-century after the movie’s launch, there’s little doubt Rob was typically a petulant and immature narcissist who filtered practically each life expertise solely by means of what it meant to him. At instances, it appeared like it will shock Rob to be taught his actions and phrases have penalties—that he’s liable for the state of his personal life.
There are moments once we’re surprised, even nauseated, by Rob’s self-absorbed response to revelations from former girlfriends, e.g., Joelle Carter’s Penny setting him straight in regards to the trauma she skilled after their breakup—and Rob making her ache all about him. What makes “Excessive Constancy” a permanent Chicago basic regardless of—what makes it nonetheless poignant, humorous, and insightful—is that the Stephen Frears-directed adaptation of Nick Hornby’s 1995 novel ceaselessly acknowledges Rob’s flaws. Cusack imbues him with a uncooked vulnerability, a spark of humanity, and simply sufficient progress to make him transfer the needle towards Rob being likable. Someplace simply north of the age of 30, surrounding himself in protecting layers of vinyl- and cassette-based hipsterism, he’s at the least making an attempt to embark on a journey of self-discovery. By the point Rob bids farewell to us as Stevie Marvel’s “I Consider (Once I Fall in Love It Will Be Without end)” swells into the closing credit, we hope for one of the best for Rob.
Even when we doubt his on-and-off relationship with Iben Hjelje’s Laura will final.
Like Hornby’s memoir Fever Pitch, “Excessive Constancy” was totally British in its sensibilities, however Frears and the screenwriting staff (which included Cusack) did a spectacular job of retaining the spirit of the e book whereas shifting the locale to Chicago. (The 2005 Americanized model of “Fever Pitch,” switching the game from soccer to baseball and starring present speak present hosts Jimmy Fallon and Drew Barrymore, virtually feels like parody—however it really kinda works.) Hornby’s novel was tailored right into a short-lived Broadway musical in 2006, with not-quite-immortal songs equivalent to “The Final Actual File Retailer” and “Quantity 5 with a Bullet,” and up to date for a Brooklyn-set, gender-switching Hulu series in 2020—however the 2000 function movie stays the definitive adaptation.
Rewatching “Excessive Constancy,” one is struck by how nicely it serves as a time capsule of turn-of-the-millennium Chicago, primarily the Wicker Park neighborhood in all its bohemian, alt-rock, thrift-store, shabby-cool glory. Even when the areas broaden to Lakeview, Lincoln Park and River North, each body of “Excessive Constancy” feels true to the time. We imagine these characters dwell in these areas. We marvel at Chicago touchstones (some nonetheless right here, some gone), together with the Double Door, the Inexperienced Mill Lounge, the Music Field Theatre, Hello Ricky Asia Noodle Store & Satay Bar, and Lounge Ax. The Irish cinematographer Seamus McGarvey would go on to ship beautiful and generally breathtaking visuals within the Joe Wright movies “Atonement” and “Anna Karenina,” to not point out “The Avengers,” however his work right here is equally spectacular, in a decrease key. The Chicago we see right here is gritty, lived-in, actual. “Excessive Constancy” occupies the identical universe because the likes of “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” however the pictures are worlds away.
Strolling out of the Biograph Theater, Cusack as Rob tells us, “John Dillinger was shot useless behind that theater in a hail of gunfire. Have you learnt who tipped them off? His f***** girlfriend.” That’s darkish. And humorous. Cusack is effortlessly pure in breaking the fourth wall; he has practically as many traces with “us” as he does with any in-movie character. Rob wears his psyche on his sleeve, whether or not he’s musing about why he’s the best way he’s—“Did I take heed to pop music as a result of I used to be depressing, or was I depressing as a result of I listened to pop music?”—or admitting he was in over his head with the attractive and worldly Charlie (Catherine Zeta-Jones): “I by no means bought comfy. Why would a lady like Charlie exit with me?” It’s well-calibrated work encased inside shambling physicality.
In an underrated efficiency, Iben Hjelje shines as Laura, a company legal professional who has outgrown her pink-hair days and has seemingly outgrown Rob, however has her personal undercurrent of instability. After Laura leaves Rob, Rob launches into his “desert island, all-time, high 5, most memorable breakups, in chronological order,” and units out to revisit every of these ladies from his previous. All through that journey, “Excessive Constancy” reminds us of the final era earlier than smartphones and social media, a time of landlines and answering machines, telephone books and indoor smoking, combine tapes, and determined calls from rain-soaked phone kiosks. (Rob is endlessly getting caught in deluges. You’d suppose Chicago was in Colombia or Papua New Guinea.)
Rob’s report retailer workers and buddies, the manic Barry (an electrical Jack Black) and the painfully shy Dick (Todd Louiso, expertly taking part in kindest soul in Rob’s world) present a type of Geek Greek refrain to Rob’s emotional rollercoaster journey; Championship Vinyl is likely one of the few locations on the earth the place these two misfits could be popular culture bullies, or at the least really feel like they belong. In the meantime, Cusack creates one among his most memorable romantic and intense and sometimes obsessive characters, alongside the boombox-toting Lloyd Dobler in 1989’s “Say Something.” (Martin in “Grosse Level Clean,” Jonathan in “Serendipity” and Jake in “Should Love Canine” may spherical out a “Prime 5 Listing of John Cusack Borderline Stalker Roles.”) It’s no small feat for Cusack to attract us into so many characters that may be extra abrasive than endearing had been it not for his inherent, regular-guy likability.
After all, the songs are an enormous part of the story; that is about as shut as a film can get to being a musical with out really being one, with needle drops starting from “You’re Gonna Miss Me” by thirteenth Ground Elevators to “Robbin’s Nest” by Illinois Jacquet to Barry White’s “I’m Gonna Love You Only a Little Extra, Babe,” plus Bruce Springsteen’s cameo and Jack Black’s star-making rendition of “Let’s Get It On.”
On my latest revisit, I additionally bought a kick out of the familial bonds prevalent within the casting—together with one which wouldn’t manifest till 20 years later. John’s sister, Joan Cusack, is a burst of comedic vitality as Rob’s (rightfully) judgmental sister, Liz. Their father, Dick Cusack, is the minister at Laura’s father’s funeral. John and Joan’s sister Susie Cusack seems as a visitor at Charlie’s feast. (Ugh, that entire bunch is INSUFFERABLE.) Margaret Travolta, sister of John, performs Rob’s mom. Natasha Gregson Wagner (daughter of producer Richard Gregson and Natalie Wooden and stepdaughter of Robert Wagner) performs the beguiling music columnist Caroline Forts, who briefly captures Rob’s pursuits. Lisa Bonet is an informal scene-stealer because the sultry singer Marie De Salle, who has a short tryst with Rob however sees proper by means of him. (Twenty years later, Bonet’s daughter Zoë Kravitz would play Crown Heights report retailer proprietor Robyn “Rob” Brooks within the Hulu collection.)
A 2010 article in Chicago journal positioned “Excessive Constancy” atop its listing of one of the best Chicago motion pictures of all time. I’m not fairly there. With contenders equivalent to “Mickey One,” “Cooley Excessive,” “Thief,” “Dangerous Enterprise,” “The Untouchables,” “The Blues Brothers,” “The Fugitive,” “Barbershop,” and “The Darkish Knight.” I wouldn’t put it in my private Prime 5—but when we broaden that listing to 10 or 12, “Excessive Constancy” undoubtedly charts.
