Rob Gordon is a jerk. Let’s just start there. If you’ve sat down to watch High Fidelity, whether it’s the original 2000 film starring John Cusack or the tragically short-lived 2020 Hulu series with Zoë Kravitz, you’re basically signing up to spend several hours with a person who thinks their record collection is a personality. It’s a story about a guy (or girl) who owns a failing record shop and decides to revisit their "Top 5" most memorable heartbreaks. It sounds like a rom-com, but it’s actually a autopsy of the male ego. Or just the ego in general.
The thing about this story is that it shouldn't work as well as it does. Nick Hornby wrote the book in 1995, set in London. Then the movie moved it to Chicago. Then the show moved it to Crown Heights. It keeps shifting locations because the "Record Store Snob" is a universal archetype. We all know this person. Maybe we are this person.
The Anatomy of a Top Five List
Why do we still care? Honestly, it's because the movie captured a very specific transition in human history. We were moving from physical media—the tactile joy of a vinyl sleeve—into the digital void. When you watch High Fidelity, you’re watching a love letter to "stuff." It argues that what you like defines who you are. Not what you're like, but what you like. Books, records, films—these aren't just hobbies in Rob’s world. They are the building blocks of a soul.
Jack Black’s performance as Barry is arguably the greatest thing he’s ever done. He’s the gatekeeper. He’s the guy who won’t sell you a rare Stevie Wonder record because he doesn’t think you’re "cool" enough to own it. It’s toxic. It’s hilarious. It’s also incredibly real. Go into any boutique hobby shop today—whether it's for mechanical keyboards or vintage denim—and you will find a Barry.
Stephen Frears, the director, did something risky. He had Cusack break the fourth wall constantly. It shouldn't feel natural, but it does because Rob is a narcissist. He needs an audience. He’s justifying his shitty behavior to us because he can’t justify it to the women he’s burned.
Why the 2020 Gender-Flip Actually Worked
Usually, when Hollywood reboots a cult classic with a "modern twist," it feels like a cash grab. But when Hulu decided to let us watch High Fidelity through the lens of Robyn "Rob" Brooks, played by Zoë Kravitz, something clicked.
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First off, the DNA was there. Zoë is the daughter of Lisa Bonet, who played Marie De Salle in the original movie. That’s meta-textual gold. But more importantly, the show understood that being a music snob isn't gendered. Women can be just as obsessive, gatekeepy, and emotionally stunted as men.
The 2020 version updated the soundtrack for a generation that grew up on Frank Ocean and David Bowie rather than just The Beta Band. It felt vibrant. It felt like Brooklyn. And then, in a move that still baffles most TV critics, Hulu canceled it after one season.
The cancellation sparked a huge debate about "prestige" TV and why shows about Black women living messy, non-trauma-focused lives get the axe so quickly. Kravitz herself called out the platform. It was a rare moment where the fans and the lead actor were completely in sync. They wanted more. We all did.
Realism in the Record Bins
If you're going to watch High Fidelity, you have to pay attention to the background. The production design in both versions is insane. In the film, Championship Vinyl was filmed at a vacant space on the corner of Milwaukee and Honore in Chicago. They spent weeks sourcing real records to make sure the "Cheap Bin" actually looked like a cheap bin.
The music supervisors for the film, including Kathy Nelson, had a monumental task. They had to pick songs that felt "cool" but weren't "trying too hard." That’s a razor-thin line. They ended up with a soundtrack that features The Kinks, The Velvet Underground, and Bob Dylan. It’s a starter kit for anyone trying to build a "cool" identity.
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But there’s a darker layer. Rob is a "completist." He wants to own everything by an artist. This reflects his relationships. He wants the memories, the "set," the completeness of a person, but he doesn't want the actual work of maintaining it.
The "I'm Not Like Other Girls" Fallacy
The movie and the show both tackle the idea of the "Manic Pixie Dream Girl" before the term was even popularized. In the 2000 film, Laura (played by Iben Hjejle) is the only person who calls Rob on his nonsense. She’s "boring" because she has a real job and wants a real future. Rob thinks she’s "lost her edge."
The truth? Rob is terrified of growing up.
When you sit down to watch High Fidelity, pay attention to the scene where Rob tries to buy a massive record collection from a spiteful ex-wife (played by Catherine Zeta-Jones). She’s selling her husband’s priceless vinyl for 50 dollars. Rob can’t do it. Not because he’s a good person, but because he respects the "sanctity" of the collection more than he respects the person who owns it. It’s a terrifying look at how we value objects over humans.
Actionable Takeaways for Your Next Rewatch
If you’re planning to dive back into this world, do it with a bit of intention. It’s more than just a soundtrack with a movie attached.
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- Listen to the "Invisible" Soundtrack: Don't just look for the big hits. In the 2000 film, pay attention to the songs playing softly in the shop. It’s a masterclass in mood-setting.
- Contrast the Protagonists: If you've only seen the movie, watch the show. If you've only seen the show, find the movie. The way both Robs handle the "Top 5 Heartbreaks" reveals a lot about how social etiquette changed in twenty years.
- Check the Cameos: Bruce Springsteen appears in the movie as a figment of Rob's imagination. Debbie Harry appears in the show. These are the "patron saints" of cool, and their advice is always the same: stop being an idiot.
- The "Beta Band" Effect: Legend has it that after the movie featured "Dry the Rain," the Beta Band's album sales actually spiked in real life. Use the film as a discovery tool for mid-90s indie and 70s soul.
- Look for the Easter Eggs: The Hulu show is packed with nods to the movie, from the way the shop is laid out to specific lines of dialogue that are flipped on their head.
The Enduring Legacy of the Record Store
Is the record store dead? No. In 2024 and 2025, vinyl sales actually continued to outpace CDs. People still want to hold something. People still want to argue about whether Pet Sounds is better than Sgt. Pepper.
To watch High Fidelity is to participate in a ritual. It’s a reminder that while our tastes change—and while we might eventually stop being jerks to the people we love—the music stays. The "Top 5" list is never really finished. It’s always evolving, just like we are.
Stop thinking about your exes and go listen to something new. Or something very, very old. That’s what Rob would do. Well, after he finished sulking.
Take a Saturday. Go to a local independent record store. Buy something based solely on the cover art. Don't look it up on Spotify first. Let the mystery of the physical object actually mean something again. That is the true spirit of what Hornby was trying to capture—the risk of liking something that might not be "cool" to anyone else but you.