Rent (2005)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Chris Columbus

Writers (WGA):

Stephen Chbosky (screenplay)
Jonathan Larson (book)

Release Date:

23 November 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Musical | Romance

Tagline:

Eight friends. One extraordinary year.

Plot:

This is the film version of the Pulitzer and Tony Award winning musical about Bohemians in the East Village of New York City struggling with life, love and AIDS, and the impacts they have on America.

Plot Keywords:

Hiv Positive | Bohemian | New York City | Love | AIDS

Awards:

1 win & 17 nominations

Cast

Anthony Rapp	...	Mark Cohen
Adam Pascal	...	Roger Davis
Rosario Dawson	...	Mimi Marquez
Jesse L. Martin	...	Tom Collins
Wilson Jermaine Heredia	...	Angel Dumott Schunard
Idina Menzel	...	Maureen Johnson
Tracie Thoms	...	Joanne Jefferson
Taye Diggs	...	Benjamin Coffin III
Julia Roth	...	Rent Tenant
Porscha Radcliffe	...	Rent Tenant
Stephen Payne	...	Homeless Squeegee Man
Darryl Chan	...	Thug
Ken Clark	...	Thug
R.C. Ormond	...	Thug
David Fine	...	Homeless Man on Range Rover

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic material involving drugs and sexuality, and for some strong language.

Runtime:

135 min | Philippines:138 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

USA:PG-13 | UK:12A | Canada:14A (Manitoba) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Finland:K-11 | Singapore:M18 | Ireland:15A | Argentina:16 | Sweden:7 | Brazil:14 | Australia:M | Iceland:12 (video rating) | Iceland:14 | Germany:6 | Portugal:M/12 | South Korea:15 | Malaysia:U (DVD) | Philippines:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Alameda, California, USA

Company:

Rent Productions LLC

Trivia:

Daphne Rubin-Vega and Fredi Walker-Browne, the original Broadway Mimi and Joanne, are the only two lead cast members not to reprise their roles for this film. By the time the film went into production, nearly ten years after its first performance, Walker, by her own admission, was too old to play Joanne. Rubin-Vega was pregnant at the time of filming, and was also nearly fifteen years older than the nineteen-year-old Mimi.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In the song 'Rent', when Collins was getting beat up in the alley, his jacket was was off before he fell to the ground, then it was back on for the muggers to take.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Mark, Angel, Maureen, Roger, Collins, Benjamin Coffin III, Mimi: Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes. Five hundred twenty-five thousand moments so dear. Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes. How do you measure, measure a year? In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee. In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife. In five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes - how do you measure a year in the life? How about love? How about love? How about love? Measure in love... seasons of love.

Movie Connections:

References Something to Live for: The Alison Gertz Story (1992) (TV)

Soundtrack:

I Should Tell You

uh......WOW!

Everything said in the first post is pretty much correct - except some minor points. I'm a MAJOR Musical Theater fan, but I've never been much of a 'Rent-head', (I find the story a bit pretentious and self aware - basically a modern version of "Hair") - yet the emotion and energy is real and infectious, fueled by an incredible and memorable score.

As I remember, though, both the songs "Halloween" and "Goodbye, Love" were NOT in the final cut I saw last night (11/6), but the interview with the cast and director was inspirational!

The best factor for me was that Director Columbus made a decision to shoot it AS A MUSICAL and not try to hide it's musical theater roots (like say, "Chicago"). Also, he cast many members of the original cast (a throwback to old movie musicals). These were brave and successful moves, and should finally knock down that door to MORE movie musicals.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!