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 - Better than expectedLet me state that I have never been a fan of musicals. I loathed most of the Golden Age Hollywood musicals that my parents loved, and those from my youth, the 1960s and 1970s (Hair, Jesus Christ, Superstar, Godspell, etc.), did not move me, either- at least dramatically, even if the songs were great. There's something about people breaking out into song that is just so forced that, dramatically, is too much to overcome. Perhaps the only film musical that totally worked for me was Evita, and that's because it was one long music video, from beginning to end, with literally only one sentence of spoken dialogue. However, musicals have been making a comeback in film. Moulin Rouge led the way, a few years back, and it's a truly great musical, if not a film. Chicago won an Academy Award for Best Picture the following year, even though it's not half the film, nor musical, Moulin Rouge is. Then, came the Cole Porter biopic, De-Lovely, and, well, Cole Porter, Cole Porter. It was a very good film that incorporated music wonderfully and intriguingly into its plot, the life's tale of the legendary composer. Next came Rent, the film version of Jonathan Larson's late 1980s musical that dominated Broadway last decade, which updated Puccini's opera, La Bohéme for the AIDS era. Surprisingly, while only also a great composer of ballads and rip roaring rock tunes. Without doubt, Rent has as many great songs as Hair or Godspell ever did- perhaps more. Yes, the actual story the tale tells is slight and often silly, if I'm being generous....Yes, the characters are stereotypes and caricatures, there is no real development of their psyches, and the film ends in shameless melodrama- the abandoned and now homeless Mimi's death and resurrection, and preachiness- in its regard of the anomic, dead transvestite Angel as somehow the apex of the human experience. But, as I always asked people who harped about the 1998 Hollywood version of Godzilla, `What did you really expect from a film where a giant lizard stomps on New York; Brando in Streetcar?' Similarly, what can one reasonably expect from a work that glorifies AIDS suffering in such a Romantic light, as well the inanities and irresponsibilities of young drug addicts and sexual freak shows who somehow believe that the world owes them something merely for their breathing, and that having to actually pay rent to someone to live somewhere is a form of fascism? If you answered, `Well, maybe, good music,' you are absolutely right, and, fortunately, Rent has much of that to spare. Ultimately, the music, and Larson's brilliance in the crafting of his infectiously catchy tunes, is the film's saving grace. And, when has even a little bit of grace ever been a bad thing? Rating:  - AIDS awareness deserves a better musicalI'm a sucker for musicals, I just love it when the characters sing their hearts out about their joys or troubles. But I couldn't stand this musical. I didn't see the show, but from the movie, I'd have no desire to. All but two of the characters are entirely incredibly self-centered, but we're meant to pity them and their tragic plight? Did I miss something? Why do they think (as they sing in the opening number) that they should be exempt from paying rent like the rest of the world? Why does the heroine think its acceptable for her to cheat on her loving, supportive life-partner at their commitment ceremony? Some of the songs are catchy-ish, but the overall attitude of the characters grated through the whole thing. Yuck. AIDS awareness deserves a better musical. Rating: - It StinksI've never seen the play and have never even heard of it before. I did see the preview for it and thought that the opening music was uplifting and held high hopes for this movie, at least enough to rent it. After seeing it, I should have just stuck with my visions of it from the preview, because that was the only good part of this film. I've seen film adaptations of musicals fall short (except for Grease) and would be willing to go to the play to see if it was any better. But, if it is even remotely like the film, I will probably feel the same way. Rating:  - Takes "Rent" To The Next LevelI'm one of the few musical lovers that think musicals are better on the small screen than they are on the live stage. Chris Columbus takes Rent, an already good musical, and makes a really good movie out of it that focuses on character rather than theatrics, letting the songs drive forward the plot and character development. I'm not sure how Rent-fans, who are just as passionate as Star Wars and Buffy fans, will feel about this movie, so I won't speak for them in this review. I saw the stage version once, thought it was good enough but nothing that really captivated me, so I'll review this from the point of a movie lover. The introduction is a bit weak, but once Tom Collins (played by Jesse L. Martin, who gives the best performance in the movie) walks into Mark Cohen (Anthony Rapp) and Roger Davis's (Adam Pascal) apartment and introduces them to Angel (Wilson Jermaine Heredia), the plot starts rolling and never stops. The film does have weak points, such as the supposed main character Mark Cohen disappearing into the background halfway through the movie and becoming a supporting character for the rest of it as well as songs (especially the song at the diner) which last way, way too long. Overall, it's a very well done movie that takes what Rent was and brings it to the next level. As far as musical adaptations, it's way ahead of Hairspray and will register not only with Rent fans, but also with people who like movies or musicals in general. 7/10 Rating:  - Viva La Vie Boheme and RentWhen `Rent' first took the stage at an off-Broadway theater in 1996 the history of theater instantly changed. Jonathan Larson composed the Pulitzer Prize winning revolutionary rock opera. Rent was loosely based on Puccini's opera `La Boheme'. Rent has been on Broadway for twelve years and will be closing September 7, 2008. RENT is about eight starving artists living during the HIV/AIDS epidemic in 1989 living in the East Village in New York City. "Measuring their lives in love" the eight struggling bohemians must cope with poverty, illness, starvation, life, love and trying to pay off last year's and the current year's rent. The eight friends are Mark Cohen (Anthony Rapp), a nerdy love-struck film producer who is trying to get his big break. Rodger Davis (Adam Pascal) is a washed up songwriter with HIV whose girlfriend Amy recently died of AIDS. Mimi Marquez, the drug addicted dancer at The Catscratch Club who falls in love with Rodger. Maureen Johnson (Idina Menzel) is a bisexual outspoken performer who dumped Mark for a lawyer named Joanne Jefferson. Joanne (Tracie Thoms) is a lawyer who is sick of Maureen mooning over other men and women. Tom Collins (Jesse L. Martin) is a computer-age philosopher at NYU with AIDS who falls in love with Angel Dumott Schunard, a gay Drag Queen street performer who "provides a comfortable home for the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome" (Angel from "You Okay Honey?" song from Rent). Last but not least is Benjamin "Benny" Coffin III an old roommate of Mark, Collins, and Maureen who recently married Allison Grey of the Westport Greys and is now the landlord of Avenue A, who hopes to evict all the homeless from Alphabet City and build a cyber studio. Directed by Chris Columbus (Known for Home Alone and Harry Potter) this powerful and riveting movie moves even the hardest of hearts and leaves everyone crying and with a feeling of hope. If I could give it a million stars instead of five I would! This is one of the best movies ever created and Jonathan Larson is a GENIUS!!! The acting is amazing and the singing is phenomenal times 5,25,600! Do yourself a favor and watch RENT! WARNING: This movie is rated PG-13 for a reason. RENT includes a mature theme involving drugs and sexuality and strong language.
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