Today unlike other rom-com reboots that prioritize feel-good nostalgia, Hulu’s High Fidelity takes the time to examine the messiness of dating.
Shirley Li 19, 2020 february
The last scene of Hulu’s tall Fidelity seems poised to play down a rom-com that is classic: The lonely record-store owner Robin, a.k.a. “Rob” (played by Zoë Kravitz), turns up during the apartment of her love interest, Clyde (Jake Lacy), who’s been avoiding her telephone calls since a falling-out a few episodes straight back. The inescapable appears to be coming: She’ll confess her emotions, he’ll accept them, and they’ll be together.
But none of this takes place. She does not propose a relationship—just a friendship. “Look, I’ve been determining plenty of material, we think,” she claims. “Stuff like just how to stop located in days gone by and exactly how to prevent shit that is taking awarded and folks for provided and just how to avoid being such an asshole. I became hoping you know, start fresh. we could just,” He turns her down, in the beginning, but fundamentally concedes there’s a chance that is slim could possibly be buddies once more.
The High that is original Fidelity—the movie adaptation of Nick Hornby’s novel starring John Cusack as Rob—didn’t end ambiguously. After a sweet message about commitment, Rob wins straight back their ex, Laura (Iben Hjejle). The ultimate scene shows Rob making a brand new mixtape on her, an instant that will leave the viewers aided by the hot fuzzies anticipated from a romantic comedy.
Suggested Reading
This new Rules of Musical Snobbery
A Netflix Show That Catches the Surrealism of Contemporary Romance
The Long-Overdue Increase of Harley Quinn
Suggested Reading
The brand new Rules of Musical Snobbery
A Netflix Show That Captures the Surrealism of Modern Romance
The rise that is long-Overdue of Quinn
Whenever Hulu announced it will be rebooting tall Fidelity with a biracial feminine lead, the show seemed very likely to proceed with the plot that is original. In the end, other such rom-com remakes that alter 
the protagonist’s gender and race—think the 2019 movie What Men desire and Hulu’s series Four Weddings and a Funeral—had done this. Both projects preserve the overall arcs of the original works: The lead has a meet-cute with the love interest, they encounter a major bump or two along the way, but they fix said bumps by the end and pair off anyway in favor of capitalizing on nostalgia and achieving sentimental highs. The only subversion is aesthetic. Despite their aspirations, both reboots felt beholden with their original variations, depicting dating through the eras as soon as the very first films had been released.
Produced by Sarah Kucserka and Veronica western, tall Fidelity the show not just expands on its initial premise, but it addittionally catches the nuance of Millennial dating by upending the tidiness of this plot that is original. Yes, Robin concludes her very first season alone, nevertheless the moments—during that is last she learns to embrace her singleness, her flaws, and herself—feel just as tender and uplifting as any rom-com finale.
Amid all of this, the show examines just how Robin’s sex impacts her relationships’ power dynamics—a step forward from past rebooted rom-coms that produce the change that is same but frequently do this in many ways that feel facile. (What Men wish showcased Taraji P. Henson as an effective recreations representative enclosed by male peers whom discount her abilities, however it didn’t inspect how her attitude that is career-oriented affected method she considered romantic lovers.) High Fidelity, the film, suggested that Rob felt emasculated and insecure about their stagnant profession pertaining to Laura’s more impressive act as legal counsel; it is why he lashed away and seethed after she thought we would keep, and later chased Marie as a stand that is one-night.