Rent (film)
Rent | |
---|---|
215px
Theatrical release poster
|
|
Directed by | Chris Columbus |
Produced by | Chris Columbus Robert De Niro Jane Rosenthal Mark Radcliffe Michael Barnathan |
Screenplay by | Stephen Chbosky |
Based on | Rent by Jonathan Larson |
Starring | Rosario Dawson Taye Diggs Wilson Jermaine Heredia Jesse L. Martin Idina Menzel Adam Pascal Anthony Rapp Tracie Thoms |
Music by | Jonathan Larson Rob Cavallo Doug McKean Jamie Muhoberac Tim Pierce |
Cinematography | Stephen Goldblatt |
Edited by | Richard Pearson |
Production
company |
|
Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
Release dates
|
<templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
|
Running time
|
135 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $40 million |
Box office | $31.7 million |
Rent is a 2005 American musical drama film directed by Chris Columbus. It is an adaptation of the Broadway musical of the same name, in turn based on Giacomo Puccini's opera La bohème. The film depicts the lives of several Bohemians and their struggles with sexuality, drugs, paying their rent, and life under the shadow of AIDS. It takes place in the East Village of New York City from 1989 to 1990. The film features six of the original Broadway cast members reprising their roles.
Contents
Plot
On Christmas Eve, 1989, aspiring filmmaker Mark Cohen, and his roommate, Roger Davis, learn that the rent previously waived by their former friend and landlord, Benjamin “Benny” Coffin III, is due (Rent). At the same time, their former roommate Tom Collins shows up and gets mugged in an alleyway. Meanwhile, Mark and Roger meet with Benny, who tells them he plans to evict the homeless from the nearby lot and build a cyber studio in its place (You'll See Boys). He offers them free rent if they can get Maureen, Mark's ex-girlfriend, to cancel her protest against his plans, but they refuse.
A street drummer, Angel, finds Collins in the alleyway and help him up. They bond once they find out they both have AIDS. Later that night, Roger, who is HIV-positive and a former drug addict, tries to compose his one last great song (One Song Glory). He's then visited by his downstairs neighbor, Mimi, an exotic dancer and heroin addict, who flirts with him (Light My Candle).
On Christmas Day, Mark and Roger are visited by Collins and Angel (who arrives in full drag), who arrive bearing gifts (Today 4 U). They invite Mark and Roger to attend Life Support, a local AIDS support group meeting. Roger turns them down, while Mark heads off to help fix Maureen's sound equipment for the protest. He runs into Joanne, Maureen's new girlfriend, who bonds with him as they discuss Maureen's promiscuity (Tango: Maureen). Afterwards, Mark arrives, slightly late, at the Life Support meeting (Life Support). He films the meeting for the documentary he making about people living with HIV/AIDS.
Mimi is shown dancing at the club she works at, and once she finishes her shift she goes to visit Roger (Out Tonight). Roger, whose ex-girlfriend died of HIV/AIDS, rebukes her advances and throws her out (Another Day). The next day, he joins Mark, Collins and Angel at a Life Support meeting, much to the joy of his friends (Will I?). On the subway leaving the meeting, the group imagines what it would be like to leave their lives in New York City and move to Santa Fe (Santa Fe). Roger and Mark leave to help Maureen set up for her performance, and Angel and Collins walk down the street and reveal that they are falling in love (I'll Cover You). Maureen performs her song that calls out Benny for changing who he was when he got married and blames him for trying to shut down the tent city (Over The Moon). The performance starts a riot because Benny had called in police to make sure the protest stayed peaceful, but it quickly escalated into violence. Once the protest is over, the group goes to The Life Cafe and celebrates Mark selling his riot footage to a local news station (La Vie Boheme). Roger and Mimi reveal they are falling for each other, and reveal to one another that they are both HIV positive (I Should Tell You). They share a kiss outside and return inside to continue celebrating with their friends (La Vie Boheme B).
On New Years Day, the group finds that Benny has had them padlocked from their apartment, but Angel solves the problem by breaking the lock with a garbage can. To support himself, Mark takes a job at Buzzline, the news station he sold his riot footage to. After another fight, Maureen proposes to Joanne; the relationship quickly ends when Maureen flirts with another woman at the engagement party (Take Me Or Leave Me). After being persuaded by Mimi, his ex-girlfriend, Benny gives the group back their apartment. Over the following year, Roger quickly grows distrustful of Mimi, and their relationship ends (Without You). Meanwhile, Angel's condition gets worse and she dies in Collins' arms. At Angel's funeral, the group goes their separate ways after a bitter argument (I'll Cover You/Goodbye Love).
Roger sells his guitar, buys a car, and moves to Santa Fe. He returns once he realizes he still loves Mimi. Meanwhile, Mark quits his job at Buzzline to pursue his own film (What You Own). On Christmas Eve, 1990, Mark and Roger reunite with Collins, who reveals he has reprogrammed an ATM to dispense cash when someone inputs A-N-G-E-L. However, Joanne and Maureen find Mimi on the streets, near death. Mimi and Roger reconcile and he sings the song he has written over the past year (Finale A/Your Eyes). Mimi appears to die, but suddenly awakens. She tells them that she was heading to the light, but Angel told her to go back. As Mark's documentary is shown for the first time, the friends all reaffirm that there is "no day but today" (Finale B).
Cast
- Anthony Rapp as Mark Cohen, a struggling Jewish filmmaker and Roger's roommate. He was dumped by Maureen for Joanne.
- Adam Pascal as Roger Davis, an HIV-positive ex-addict rock musician; Mimi's love interest.
- Rosario Dawson as Mimi Marquez, an HIV-positive heroin addict and stripper; Roger's love interest.
- Jesse L. Martin as Tom Collins, an anarchist and gay philosophy professor with AIDS; former roommate of Maureen, Roger, Mark, and Benny; Angel's love interest.
- Wilson Jermaine Heredia as Angel Dumott Schunard, a drag queen and street musician who is suffering from AIDS; Collins' love interest.
- Idina Menzel as Maureen Johnson, a bisexual performance artist and Joanne's girlfriend; Mark's ex-girlfriend.
- Tracie Thoms as Joanne Jefferson, a lesbian Harvard-graduate lawyer and Maureen's love interest.
- Taye Diggs as Benjamin "Benny" Coffin III, Mark, Roger, and Mimi's apartment building landlord and ex-roommate of Collins, Roger, Maureen, and Mark.
Production
Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Rent was filmed in Super 35 mm film format. Some exterior scenes were actually filmed in New York. The Life Cafe scene was shot in a warehouse in Alameda, CA. The New York East Village was a backlot set at Warner Bros; the interior and remaining exterior shots were filmed in San Francisco. Some additional exterior scenes where filmed in San Diego, "Take Me or Leave Me" is filmed inside the famed Filoli House in Woodside, California (San Mateo County, California), Oakland, and Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Critical reception
Rent earned mixed reviews, as indicated by its "rotten" 46% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The consensus of the reviewers featured on Rotten Tomatoes is "Fans of the stage musical may forgive its flaws, but weak direction, inescapable staginess and an irritating faux-boho pretension prevent the film from truly connecting on screen."[1] On Metacritic, it was given a score of 53 out of 100 based on "mixed or average reviews".[2] Kirk Honeycutt from The Hollywood Reporter wrote “One of the best film musicals in years — exuberant, sexy and life affirming in equal measure.” [3] Michael Phillips from the Chicago Tribune wrote “It’s a pretty good version of a pretty great stage phenomenon.” [3]
Alternate ending
In addition to four deleted scenes, the DVD release includes an alternate ending, showing all the main characters (including Benny, who was not present in the other ending) except Angel standing in the positions where they were during the "Seasons of Love" opening, all standing in a line of spotlights, with Angel's spot empty. Later in the scene, she enters from the side and walks down the line to take her place, stopping as she passes Collins to take his hand for a moment. Although this tableau is used in the finale of the musical, it was dropped from the film for fear that audiences may have wondered why Angel had returned or why the characters were lined up on stage again. In the commentary, Chris Columbus adds that he "didn't want audiences to think that everything was okay and Angel was alive again."
Differences between the stage and film versions
- "Goodbye Love" was filmed in its entirety, but the second half was cut from the film because Columbus considered it somewhat of an emotional overload, as he states on the DVD's commentary track.
- The film leaves ambiguous the death of Roger's girlfriend April, who dies before Rent begins. In the film, she is seen reading a doctor's report that she is HIV positive; it is stated that she has died, but nothing more is said. In the stage version, Mark explicitly states that April committed suicide by slitting her wrists in the bathroom, and Roger found out about his HIV in the suicide note. Chris Columbus states in the DVD commentary that a scene featuring April lying in the bathtub with her wrists slit was filmed, but cut because he thought it would be "too much."
- In the musical, the entire first act is set over the late hours of Christmas Eve; this includes Angel meeting Collins, Mimi and Roger's encounters, Maureen's performance and the dinner at the Life Café. The film stretches this out to a few days.
Soundtrack
Rent (Original motion picture soundtrack) | ||
---|---|---|
File:RentMovie2005.jpg | ||
Soundtrack album by Rent | ||
Released | 23 September 2005 | |
Recorded | 2004-2005 | |
Genre | Musical, Soundtrack | |
Length | 95:00 (2-Disc Movie Soundtrack) 64:38 (Selections Soundtrack) |
|
Label | Warner Bros. | |
Producer | Rob Cavallo | |
Singles from Rent (Original motion picture soundtrack) | ||
|
Rent: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the soundtrack album to the 2005 film of the same name. The two-disc soundtrack, containing 28 tracks, was originally packaged in eight different slipcovers, each featuring one of the eight most prominent characters in the film.
Track listing
Disc 1
- "Seasons of Love" - Joanne, Collins, Mimi, Roger, Maureen, Mark, Angel & Benny
- "Rent" - Mark, Roger, Collins, Mimi, Angel & Tenants
- "You'll See" - Roger, Mark & Benny
- "One Song Glory" - Roger
- "Light My Candle" - Roger & Mimi
- "Today 4 U" - Angel & Collins
- "Tango: Maureen" - Joanne & Mark
- "Life Support" - Roger, Angel, Collins, Gordon, Steve, Paul, Ali, Pam & Sue
- "Out Tonight" - Mimi
- "Another Day" - Roger, Mimi, Collins, Mark & Angel
- "Will I?" - Roger, Angel, Collins, Mark, Gordon, Steve, Paul, Ali, Pam & Sue
- "Santa Fe" - Angel, Collins, Roger & Mark
- "I'll Cover You" - Angel & Collins
- "Over The Moon" - Maureen
Disc 2
- "La Vie Bohème" * - Cast of Rent
- "I Should Tell You" - Roger & Mimi
- "La Vie Bohème" * - Mimi, Mark, Angel, Collins, Maureen, Joanne & Roger
- "Seasons of Love B" - Cast of Rent
- "Take Me Or Leave Me" - Maureen & Joanne
- "Without You" - Mimi & Roger
- "I'll Cover You (Reprise)" - Collins & Company
- "Halloween" - Mark
- "Goodbye Love" * - Mimi, Roger, Benny, Maureen, Joanne, Mark & Collins
- "What You Own" - Roger & Mark
- "Finale A" - Mimi & Roger
- "Your Eyes" - Roger
- "Finale B* " - Cast of RENT
- "Love Heals" - Cast of Rent
Remixes
In promotion for the film, Warner Brothers had dance remixes of several of the songs commissioned. These were sent to clubs, and were also made of available for purchase on CD and download.
Seasons of Love: The Remixes (CD)[4]
- Seasons Of Love (Gomi's Lair Club Mix) - 8:22
- Seasons Of Love (Monkey Bars Club Mix) - 7:20
- Seasons Of Love (L.E.X. Theatrical Club Mix) - 8:11
- Seasons Of Love (Eddie Baez's "Payin' The Rent" Club Mix) - 10:13
- Seasons Of Love (Gomi's Lair Radio Edit) - 3:44
- Seasons Of Love (Monkey Bars Remix Edit) - 4:48
- Seasons Of Love (L.E.X. Theatrical Club Mix Edit) - 4:57
- Seasons Of Love (Eddie Baez's "Payin' The Rent" Club Mix Edit) - 4:59
Seasons of Love: The Remixes (Digital Download)[5]
- Seasons Of Love (Gomi's Lair Radio Edit) - 3:44
- Seasons Of Love (Monkey Bars Remix Edit) - 4:48
- Seasons Of Love (L.E.X. Theatrical Club Mix Edit) - 4:57
- Seasons Of Love (Eddie Baez's "Payin' The Rent" Club Mix Edit) - 4:59
Take Me or Leave Me: The Remixes (CD)[6]
- Take Me Or Leave Me (Tracy Young Radio) - 3:35
- Take Me Or Leave Me (Tracy Young Remix) - 8:35
- Take Me Or Leave Me (Gabriel D Vine's Big Band Disco Remix) - 6:16
- Take Me Or Leave Me (Jackie And Jorio Club Mix) - 7:09
- Take Me Or Leave Me (Tracy Young Dub) - 10:09
- Out Tonight (Mark!'s Redux Club Remix) - 8:32
- Light My Candle (Monkey Bars Remix) - 6:27
Take Me or Leave Me: The Remixes (Digital Download)[7]
- Take Me Or Leave Me (Tracy Young Radio) - 3:35
- Take Me Or Leave Me (Tracy Young Mixshow) - 6:44
- Take Me Or Leave Me (Jackie And Jorio Club Mix) - 7:09
- Take Me Or Leave Me (Gabriel D Vine's Big Band Disco Remix) - 6:16
- Out Tonight (Mark!'s Redux Club Remix Edit) - 4:55
- Light My Candle (Monkey Bars Remix) - 6:27
Musicians
- Tim Pierce (acoustic guitar, electric guitar)
- Jamie Muhoberac (piano, organ, keyboards)
- Paul Bushnell (bass guitar)
- Dorian Crozier (drums, percussion, programming)
- Tim Weil (piano)
- Gregory Curtis (organ)
- Greg Suran (acoustic guitar, electric guitar)
- Suzie Katayama (cello, accordion)
Recording Engineers
- Doug McKean (Chief Engineer)
- Charles Williams (Assistant Engineer)
- Elan Trujillo (Assistant Engineer)
References
Footnotes
<templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" />
Cite error: Invalid <references>
tag; parameter "group" is allowed only.
<references />
, or <references group="..." />
Bibliography
- Yahoo! Movies: Greg's Preview for Rent
- Tuesday Night Movie Club: Rent Script Review
- Playbill: Will Justin Timberlake Appear in Movie Version of Rent?
- Playbill: Rent Film Aims to Start Production in Spring 2005 for Late-Year Release
- "Seasons of Love" Press Release, August 2, 2005
- Movies On Line: RENT...Stars For Rent
- Broadway World: Success of Rent Promises Good Tidings for Upcoming Broadway Films
- Rent: The View on YouTube
External links
![]() |
Wikiquote has quotations related to: Rent (film) |
- Official website
- Lua error in Module:WikidataCheck at line 28: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). Rent at IMDb
- Rent at Metacritic
- Rent at Box Office Mojo
- Rent at Rotten Tomatoes
- Interview with Anthony Rapp and Taye Diggs and also Stephen John Ramirez
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- Pages using duplicate arguments in template calls
- Pages with reference errors
- Pages with broken file links
- 2005 films
- English-language films
- Film articles using image size parameter
- Pages using infobox album with unknown parameters
- Music infoboxes with deprecated parameters
- Official website not in Wikidata
- 2000s drama films
- 2000s LGBT-related films
- 2000s musical films
- American films
- American LGBT-related films
- American musical drama films
- American rock musicals
- Columbia Pictures films
- Films about music and musicians
- Films based on musicals
- Films based on la Vie de Bohème
- Films directed by Chris Columbus
- Films set in 1990
- Films set in New York City
- Films shot in New Mexico
- Films shot in San Francisco, California
- HIV/AIDS in film
- Lesbian-related films
- LGBT-related musical films
- Revolution Studios films
- Screenplays by Stephen Chbosky
- Films produced by Chris Columbus
- Films produced by Robert De Niro
- Films produced by Michael Barnathan
- 1492 Pictures films