Rent (2005)

Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

If you're not one of those weird theater-crazy hippy types then this movie probably won't be for you. Personally I don't like musicals that much to begin with, but there have been some that I've enjoyed despite that fact. The South Park movie and Sweeney Todd for example. This movie however made me want to never see a musical ever again. The songs are so clunky and just.. bad.. It's like you'd have to be on a butt load of pain killers to enjoy songs like Seasons of Love. Seasons of Love should be the theme song for the Mormon faith; it's so cheesy, uninspired, and makes you want to puke because it's so overly happy. "One Song Glory" makes me want to punch the nearest breathing thing in the throat. It is such an annoying song that it irritates me just writing about it. I don't remember a whole lot about the story since its been a few years since I've seen this movie. Mostly that everyone has AIDS and owes rent money from last year. Also that guy wants to write a good song so he'll be known after he dies of AIDS. Other than that I got nothing. It was boring and painful to watch.

Rent (2005): Dir: Chris Columbia / Cast: Rosario Dawson, Taye Diggs, Adam Pascal, Anthony Rapp, Jesse L. Martin: Depressing yet engaging musical about survival. Eight people are threatened with eviction yet strain to fulfill their dreams. Among them is a struggling guitarist; a drug addict exotic dancer; a filmmaker; a Santa Claus transvestite; and a cheating lesbian. Strong material sometimes overlaps subplots with an ending that may leave viewers with hope or depression. Director Chris Columbus handles the musical numbers with energy and flair. This is much different from anything he has directed including two Harry Potter outings as well as Mrs. Doubtfire and Home Alone. Broadway cast includes Rosario Dawson, Taye Diggs, Adam Pascal, and Anthony Rapp among others. Dawson plays the exotic dancer who is HIV positive, and Rapp plays a filmmaker under the same circumstances. Diggs plays the landlord issuing the eviction. Pascal plays a musician also with HIV and a drug habit. Jesse L. Martin plays a gay dancer who is HIV positive, and that is themed throughout the film. Outrageous dance numbers throughout within a variety of locations, which adds creativity. Disturbing themes dealing with the AIDS virus that are extremely depressing but it also champions a message that voices our vulnerable limited lifespan. Score: 8 / 10

This film sports the talents of some really fine triple threats (actors who can also sing and dance) . But despite that it is one of the absolutely stupidest pieces of entertainment fakery I have seen in years. The music is bad. The lyrics are vapid and meaningless, the story is ridiculous and simplistic. But the sets, cinematography and the verve of the cast is admirable. Is it enough to make this film worth watching? No. Couched in important topical themes (poverty, AIDS, bohemian rebellion, alternative sexuality) and adorned with a set of characters and cast that are supposed to represent some kind of non-racial, post sexual revolution fantasy hipness, this film is a sanitized guided tour for rich heterosexuals who have never made any kind of artistic or social sacrifice so they can feel they've been cleansed by the holy waters of bohemian rebellion that they would never dare dip into themselves. Or perhaps its a vehicle to give the entertainment industry sufficient street cred to revert to the racist, sexist, class conscious crap that it prefers. Of course maybe its just a way to commodify and monetize bohemia which the entertainment pimperati can take to the hedge fund. Take your pick or combine any one of the these three motivations. Or better yet don't waste your time.

As I watched rent I took notice of the fact that throughout the film the writer as well as the director made sure the audience understood the connection between renting a place and living life. Throughout the film it shows the audience how life is flailing and temporal just as renting is. The film is very interesting in its approach on showing each scenario as the plot and storyline unfolds. The director uses music in this film not just as a back drop or transitional vehicle between scenes and plot formation; but instead, it has its own identity and way of helping the story unfold. In this film music is used to help bridge the gap between several different elements within its plot, some of them are the gap between 2 socio economic groups, the gap between the reality and what's seen. At various times throughout the film, the director used prominent events to set the tone, and the music that accompanied the scene helped to the lead the audience on a visual and emotional journey with the actors in order to understand what as transpiring within the scene and plot sequence. There was one scene that really grabbed my attention within the film; it was the progression of the HIV virus and death of Angel. The were 2 things that I noticed about this particular event in the plot sequence, firstly Angel's death shows the frailty of life and that life is truly synonymous to renting in that renting is temporary and once your lease is up you must move, likewise once your "lease" on life is up you die. I also noted that the music that accompanied the scene was very solemn. The music throughout this film told an ongoing to story that coincided with the things that were being portrayed through the acting; I believe that music in this film was well thought out and planned well. The music was strategically placed to make sure the audience remained engaged throughout the film. Rent is a film that is timeless, it's message still speaks and it's a film that can be enjoyed over and over without any loss of interest.