Rent (2005) [HD]

There's Only Yes
I saw the movie in a beautiful theater in downtown San Francisco on the Saturday after Thanksgiving and was surprised to find so few people in the movie theater--maybe 75 of us, and the theater could have fit 500. I wonder if some of the lukewarm reviews haven't influenced people's decisions to go to RENT. Hope not, for I'm here to tell you, this movie is dynamite and IMHO much, much better than the play. For one thing, in the movie you can hear every word, even with the increased rock instrumentation, for hundreds of sound experts have worked their magic and made sure that even people underwater could hear every single syllable; whereas on stage, it depended from night to night what percentage of the lyrics were going to be coming across the temperamental sound system of the Nederlander (NYC).

I did miss Daphne Rubin-Vega who was incomparably sexy and chilling as Mimi, but I never believed her being in love, and Rosario Dawson looked like she was just 'playing' at being...

La Vie Boheme!
I was born to love "Rent." Having grown up listening to my mother's record of "La Boheme" playing as she did her housework, I anxiously anticipated seeing the Broadway production when I was in New York in 1999. Although, it was superb, the movie version was so much more enjoyable to me, mainly because the words to the beautiful songs were clear and much more understandable. I realize Broadway is a one-shot deal and a movie can have countless takes on a scene, so I'm not putting down the play I loved in any way, just saying the movie was an easier and more enjoyable viewing experience.

From the spectacular opening scene where the full cast sings the beautiful "Seasons of Love," the stage is set for a glorious celebration of life, living it to the fullest, and enjoying every moment. Yes, there is heartbreak on the screen and many moist eyes in the theater, but this is mainly a joyful story of friendship, love, and reaching out to your fellow man.

The acting is...

Rent the movie meets and surpasses expectations
I have seen both the movie and the stage version of Rent. I love both of them. But, we're here to talk about the movie. I love the fact that most of the original cast is back for this. Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp are perfect as Roger and Mark. Adam shows the tortured soul that is Roger. Finding out he has HIV and dealing with his girlfriend's death puts him in a place he never thought he would be. Mark, Collins, Angel, and Mimi help him realize that he isn't dead yet. Adam takes you through that journey with all the emotions that entails. Anthony shows Mark's emotions throughout the piece. The look on his face when he sees that Roger has come out of the house, and come to the Life Support meeting shows you just how much he cares for his best friend, and how worried he was, and still is for him. Having them in two sepereate locations for "What You Own" also helps the characters and gives the actors a new way of playing the scene. When they come together on the roof and you...

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