Finally! My RENT review!

Well since I have been posting non-stop for almost a year about the film version of RENT and saw it for the third time last night I think it’s about time I wrote about the actual film!

Yes, the original material is near and dear to my heart as is the original cast. Yes it is flawed so those flaws transfer to the movie. That said. I LOVED IT!!!!! Not just because I wanted so desperately to love it but because I truly do! It lived up to all my expectations and more. It’s not perfect but it’s pretty damn close. I really cannot be objective. I’ve tried – but being a fan for a decade now of the show and the performers, I find it impossible.

First off, BRAVO to Chris Columbus for sticking with (mostly) the original cast from the Broadway show. And great job choosing Rent-newbies Rosario Dawson (Mimi) and Tracie Thoms (Joanne) to replace Daphne Rubin-Vega (original Mimi) and Fredi Walker (original Joanne), who were unable to be in the film for various reasons. I can’t see how the film could have retained its emotional core without Anthony Rapp (Mark), Adam Pascal (Roger), Jesse L. Martin (Collins), Wilson Jermaine-Heredia (Angel), Idina Menzel (Maureen), and Taye Diggs (Benny.) At one time the “pop star version” featuring the likes of Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera, and Usher was close to being a reality. THANK GOD that didn’t happen.

The songs sound as fresh as ever, with Green Day producer Rob Cavallo giving them more power. The cast is in superb vocal form taking the score to new heights. But the best part was seeing how the songs are staged on film. The film starts with the cast performing “Seasons of Love” on a stage in an empty theater, sort of preparing you that you’re about to watch a musical and reminding you where this all started – on the stage. Pretty much ever other song takes place in the day-to-day lives of the characters. While Rob Marshall placed the songs in Chicago in the imagination of Roxie’s mind thus making the musical form easier to swallow, Chris Columbus takes the traditional approach. These characters break into song and dance in their apartment and in the streets (Rent, You’ll See, I’ll Cover You), in the subway (Sante Fe), in the Life Café (La Vie Boheme) and so on.

My favorite parts of the film were where the characters spoke to each other instead of sang simply because it isn’t something us Rentheads have ever seen before. In the Bway show they relate to each other almost entirely in song. Some of the spoken dialogue in the film is word for word lyrics from songs and that elicited a few giggles from the die hard Rentheads at first. But to the uninitiated they didn’t seem to notice.

I have a couple of gripes – like the omission of Halloween though it will reportedly be on the DVD per Anthony Rapp – but overall I thought it did complete justice to the show and Jonathan Larson’s vision.

I should add – yes there is some gritty and uncomfortable-for-some material. There is drug use and the realistic depiction of living with AIDS. Though many of the main characters are gay I didn’t think anyone would think that was a big deal. Well what a bubble I have been living in! I could not BELIEVE the anti-gay or at least discomfort with homosexuality that was expressed at the last two viewings I went to. (The first time was opening day at the Zeigfeld with a sold-out crowd of Rentheads.) Especially here in NYC! Collins and Angel kissed and last night half the audience started yelling in a chorus of “Nooooo!” and “Ewwww!” But the other half of us countered that with cheers and applause. Also at the last two viewing people walked out after that scene. Unreal!

Ultimately RENT is a story of love, acceptance and living every moment to its fullest. I don’t want to give away too much more in case anyone reading this hasn’t seen the show or film yet. Just GO SEE IT! Fredi (the original Bway Joanne) posted on BroadwayWorld.com that Jonathan Larson’s father, Al emailed her. He said that now through this Sunday is an important time for the film and audience numbers are going to determine additional theaters booking the film and other theaters keeping it. SEE IT! You know you should! :)