Racks, wax and wisecracks

>> High Fidelity is a B-side at best

By RUPERT BOTTENBERG

The term "high fidelity" refers to a stereo system's ability to accurately reproduce the raw material of the platter its needle is dragging across.

It might also refer to the degree to which the new Stephen Frears film of the same name reproduces the essence of Nick Hornby's hit novel. While relocated from London to Chicago, its binary themes of love as a Sisyphian task and album collecting as a pathological obsession remain intact.

"High fidelity" certainly refers to the uncanny ability of John Cusack, in the starring role as record store owner/romantic fuck-up Rob, to reproduce the squinty, bitter cynic with the soft inside that he's been pitching since... I don't know, Tape Heads or something. Cusack's been working variations on this simple theme since he was barely out of high school--endlessly--and it's tired.

As with all these Cusack films (semi-hip, semi-funny, pop-culture comedies full of '80s alt-rock references and nudge-wink talking at the camera), the secondaries shine brightest--and they aren't exactly halogen floodlamps this time around. The amazing Lili Taylor is all but wasted as one of Rob's assorted exes, Catherine Zeta-Jones doesn't quite nail what her character (another ex) should be, Tim Robbins' turn as a middle-aged hippie isn't milked for the brutal laffs it could be and Natasha Gregson Wagner is a momentary blip as a college-rock cutie.

The funniest bits are care of Jack Black (whom you'll recognize from that Beck video, if nowhere else) and Todd Louiso, as the record nerd employees at Rob's store. Louiso's Dick is a spineless wimp on the emo-core tip while Black's Barry is an anal-retentive fact-fascist, too obsessive to function socially and too overbearing to notice.

Oddly enough, as baleful and repellent as this pair is, one finds oneself warming to them as the film progresses. The same can't be said for Cusack. As it becomes clear that the reason Rob can't maintain a relationship is because he's an asshole (and not even the kind of scorched-earth bastard one kind of admires), the character fills in a bit, but not enough to save High Fidelity from its final destination: the dusty discount bin in the corner.

High Fidelity opens Friday, March 31