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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.