Rent is a 2005 American
musicalThe musical film is a film genre in which songs sung by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, though in some cases they serve merely as breaks in the storyline, often as elaborate...
drama filmA drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
directed by
Chris ColumbusChristopher Joseph "Chris" Columbus is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. Columbus had his largest success with the first two films in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, along with Home Alone, the last...
. It is an
adaptationFilm adaptation is the transfer of a written work to a feature film. It is a type of derivative work.A common form of film adaptation is the use of a novel as the basis of a feature film, but film adaptation includes the use of non-fiction , autobiography, comic book, scripture, plays, and even...
of the
Broadway musicalBroadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
of the same nameRent is a rock musical with music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson based on Giacomo Puccini's opera La bohème...
, in turn based on
Giacomo PucciniGiacomo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria Puccini was an Italian composer whose operas, including La bohème, Tosca, Madama Butterfly, and Turandot, are among the most frequently performed in the standard repertoire...
's
operaOpera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
La bohèmeLa bohème is an opera in four acts,Puccini called the divisions quadro, a tableau or "image", rather than atto . by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa, based on Scènes de la vie de bohème by Henri Murger...
. The film depicts the lives of several
BohemiansBohemianism is the practice of an unconventional lifestyle, often in the company of like-minded people, with few permanent ties, involving musical, artistic or literary pursuits...
and their struggles with
sexualityHuman sexuality is the awareness of gender differences, and the capacity to have erotic experiences and responses. Human sexuality can also be described as the way someone is sexually attracted to another person whether it is to opposite sexes , to the same sex , to either sexes , or not being...
,
cross-dressingCross-dressing is the wearing of clothing and other accoutrement commonly associated with a gender within a particular society that is seen as different than the one usually presented by the dresser...
,
drugsRecreational drug use is the use of a drug, usually psychoactive, with the intention of creating or enhancing recreational experience. Such use is controversial, however, often being considered to be also drug abuse, and it is often illegal...
, life under the shadow of
AIDSAcquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
, and paying their rent. It takes place in the
East VillageThe East Village is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, lying east of Greenwich Village, south of Gramercy and Stuyvesant Town, and north of the Lower East Side...
of
New York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
from 1989 to 1990. The film features six of the original Broadway cast members reprising their roles.
Plot
The film begins with the cast lined up on a stage singing "
Seasons of Love"Seasons of Love" is a song from the Broadway musical Rent, written and composed by Jonathan Larson. The song starts with an ostinato piano motif, which provides the harmonic framework for the cast to sing "Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes"...
", a song expressing a year in the life of the bohemians. On Christmas Eve 1989, apartment tenants Mark (
Anthony RappAnthony Deane Rapp is an American stage and film actor and singer best known for originating the role of Mark Cohen in the Broadway production of Rent in 1996 and later for reprising the role in the film version and the Broadway Tour of Rent in 2009...
) and Roger (
Adam PascalAdam Pascal is an American actor and singer known for his performance as Roger Davis in the original cast of Jonathan Larson's musical Rent on Broadway 1996, the 2005 movie version of the musical, and the Broadway Tour of Rent in 2009...
) express their anger at being asked to pay rent that was waived by their friend. At the same time, Tom Collins (
Jesse L. MartinJesse L. Martin is an American theatre, film, and television actor. He is known for originating the role of Tom Collins in the Broadway theatrical production of Rent, and for his portrayal of NYPD Detective Ed Green on the NBC drama television series Law & Order.-Early life:Martin, the third of...
), a former roommate of Mark's, arrives in town and is attacked in an alley ("
Rent"). Benjamin "Benny" Coffin III (
Taye DiggsScott Leo "Taye" Diggs is an American theatre, film and television actor. He is perhaps best known for his roles in the Broadway musical Rent, the motion picture How Stella Got Her Groove Back, and the television series Private Practice...
), the landlord and former roommate of Mark, Roger, and Collins, plans to evict the homeless living in the lot next to Mark and Roger's building and build a cyber studio in its place. He offers Mark and Roger free rent if they convince Maureen (
Idina MenzelIdina Kim Menzel is an American actress, singer and songwriter. She is widely known for originating the roles of Maureen in Rent and Elphaba in Wicked.-Early life:...
) (Mark's ex-girlfriend) to stop her protest against Benny's plans ("
You'll See"). A street drummer (and drag queen), Angel (
Wilson Jermaine HerediaWilson Jermaine Heredia is an American actor best known for his portrayal of Angel Dumott Schunard in the Broadway musical Rent, for which he won the Tony Award and Drama Desk Award for Best Featured Actor in a musical...
), finds Collins and gets him cleaned up. Angel mentions that he will be attending a Life Support meeting, telling Collins he has AIDS, to which Collins replies, "Me too."
Mark searches for Collins while Roger sings of his desire to write one final song before dying of HIV ("
One Song Glory"). Flashbacks show that Roger was a drug addict and his girlfriend killed herself after learning that she had HIV. A woman who lives downstairs, Mimi (
Rosario DawsonRosario Isabel Dawson is an American actress, singer, and writer. She has appeared in films such as Kids, Men in Black II, 25th Hour, Sin City, Clerks II, Rent, Death Proof, The Rundown, Eagle Eye, Alexander, Seven Pounds, Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief and Unstoppable.-Early...
), enters and flirts with Roger, asking for a match to light her candle ("
Light My Candle"). Mimi is a heroin addict and exotic dancer. She drops her stash of drugs and Roger tries to hide them, but she distracts him and leaves with her stash. The next day, Collins appears at the loft with a bottle of vodka. He has a job at New York University, and Mark guesses that this is how he could afford the vodka. Collins contradicts him, and introduces Angel, who enters the loft wearing a bobbed wig, high-heeled boots, and a Santa dress. She hands Mark and Roger money, and explains that she was paid by a woman, to push a neighbor's dog off of the twenty-third floor of a building ("
Today 4 U"). Maureen calls Mark, asking him to fix her sound equipment. Angel and Collins invite both men to the Life Support meeting. Roger declines but Mark promises to attend. Mark goes to the performance space, finding Maureen's girlfriend, Joanne (
Tracie ThomsTracie Nicole Thoms is an American television, film, and stage actress. She is best known for her roles in Rent, Cold Case, The Devil Wears Prada, Death Proof, and the short-lived Fox television series Wonderfalls....
). Joanne and Mark bond as he works and they discuss Maureen's cheating habits ("
Tango: Maureen").
Mark enters the Life Support meeting late. He is obviously uncomfortable surrounded by so many AIDS patients, but relaxes and asks if he can film the meeting. The group sings of their desire to live every day to the fullest ("
Life Support"). That night, Mimi is performing at the Cat Scratch club where she works ("Out Tonight"). Later, she sneaks into Mark and Roger's apartment while Roger sits playing his guitar. Roger rebukes her for using heroin and intruding on him, throwing her out ("
Another Day"). At another Life Support meeting, those present question how their lives will continue now that they have AIDS ("
Will I?"). Roger joins the group, much to Angel's, Collins' and Mark's joy. Walking back to their apartments, they find a homeless woman being abused by a police officer and aid her (on film), only for her to reprimand Mark for making a name for himself using her life. On a subway train, they talk about moving to
Santa FeSanta Fe is the capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is the fourth-largest city in the state and is the seat of . Santa Fe had a population of 67,947 in the 2010 census...
and opening a restaurant ("
Santa Fe"). Mark and Roger go to help Joanne. Collins and Angel express their love for each other and Angel buys Collins a new coat ("
I'll Cover You").
Maureen's protest happens later that night ("
Over the Moon"). Benny has put the police on standby, and a riot ensues. Later, everyone meets at the Life Cafe. Mark reveals he sold footage of the riot to the news and
Buzzline wants to air it. Benny tells everyone he is sorry and that his wife was not there due to a death in the family. It turns out to be his dog – the dog that Angel offed earlier. Benny tells the group that they need to grow up and be responsible and asks whether they really want to continue living as they are, leading to a riot, with the characters shouting out what inspires them, starting with Mark saying a eulogy for 'dead' Bohemia. Maureen and Joanne disgust Benny and the other men ("
La Vie Bohème"). Roger's beeper goes off, signaling his next
AZTZidovudine or azidothymidine is a nucleoside analog reverse-transcriptase inhibitor , a type of antiretroviral drug used for the treatment of HIV/AIDS. It is an analog of thymidine....
dose and showing Mimi that he has HIV. Mimi tells him that she, too, has HIV. Roger and Mimi express their interest in each other outside the cafe ("
I Should Tell You"). They re-enter the cafe celebrating their new relationship ("
La Vie Bohème B").
A montage of Mark's footage plays, showing events that have taken place over time ("Seasons of Love B"). On New Year's Eve the group finds that Benny has seized their possessions. To get some money, Mark takes a job at
Buzzline. Joanne and Maureen accompany him, and Joanne gets upset when she sees Maureen flirting with a receptionist. After an argument, Maureen proposes to Joanne. At a fancy club where Joanne's parents are hosting an engagement party for them, Joanne gets angry when Maureen flirts with another woman. Maureen wants Joanne to understand that she's only having fun, while Joanne wants Maureen to follow the rules of relationships that Joanne lives by and stop mocking her for her Type-A personality. The two end their relationship ("
Take Me or Leave Me"). Benny returns everyone's things and offers to let Mark and Roger live in the apartment for free. Seeing it as a publicity stunt, Mark refuses, while Roger is bothered by the fact that Mimi was the one who convinced Benny. Mimi and Benny had previously been in a relationship, and despite her protests that it ended years ago, Roger is distrustful. Mimi and Roger struggle with Mimi's withdrawal ("
Without You"). Members of Life Support die, and Collins takes Angel to the hospital. Roger finds Mimi with her drug dealer, and they break up. Angel dies in Collins' arms. During Angel's funeral, Mimi, Mark and Maureen reflect on moments they shared with Angel, and Collins sings the song that he and Angel sang together ("
I'll Cover You (Reprise)"). After the funeral, Roger and Mimi argue about their relationship, as do Joanne and Maureen. Roger reveals that he sold his guitar, bought a car, and is leaving for Santa Fe ("
Goodbye Love").
In Santa Fe, Roger realizes he still loves Mimi and decides to return. Mark decides to finish his film and quits his job at
Buzzline ("
What You Own"). When Roger arrives he learns that Mimi quit rehab and is missing. On Christmas Eve 1990, one year after everyone met, Collins returns to the apartment. Collins gives them some money and reveals that he rewired an ATM to dispense cash whenever someone inputs 'A-N-G-E-L'. Joanne and Maureen find Mimi and bring her to the apartment. She has been living on the streets and is dying. Mimi and Roger reconcile, and Mimi finally tells Roger that she loves him ("
Finale A"). As she lies dying, Roger sings the song he has written over the past year. As he ends the final verse, Mimi appears to die ("
Your Eyes"). Mimi regains consciousness, explaining that she saw Angel, who told her "turn around, girlfriend, and listen to that boy's song." The six friends, their faith in life restored, perform the final song ("
Finale B") with Angel's voice heard as well. As Mark's documentary is shown for the first time, the friends all reaffirm that there is "no day but today".
Cast
All but two principal members of the original Broadway cast reprised their roles on film. Director Columbus got the idea to give the original cast first dibs on the roles when he talked to
Anthony RappAnthony Deane Rapp is an American stage and film actor and singer best known for originating the role of Mark Cohen in the Broadway production of Rent in 1996 and later for reprising the role in the film version and the Broadway Tour of Rent in 2009...
,
Adam PascalAdam Pascal is an American actor and singer known for his performance as Roger Davis in the original cast of Jonathan Larson's musical Rent on Broadway 1996, the 2005 movie version of the musical, and the Broadway Tour of Rent in 2009...
, and
Idina MenzelIdina Kim Menzel is an American actress, singer and songwriter. She is widely known for originating the roles of Maureen in Rent and Elphaba in Wicked.-Early life:...
about the musical and felt that they all still looked the same as when they premiered the show in 1996. Only
Daphne Rubin-VegaDaphne Rubin-Vega is a dancer, singer, and actress. She is best known for originating the role of Mimi Marquez in the Broadway musical Rent, and the role of Lucy, in the Off-Broadway play Jack Goes Boating.-Biography:Rubin-Vega was born in Panama City, Panama, the daughter of Daphine Vega, a...
and
Fredi WalkerFredi Walker is an American actress, director and theatre producer.Her Broadway debut was the role of Joanne Jefferson, the high-class lawyer and lesbian lover of Maureen Johnson , in the original Broadway cast of Rent. She also toured nationally with The Lion King as Rafiki...
, the original Mimi and Joanne, were not cast in the film. Rubin-Vega was seven months pregnant at the time of filming and was not able to reprise her role as Mimi. Fredi Walker was offered the role, but said that she felt too old for it; however, she insisted that a woman of African-American descent should play the part of Joanne.
- Anthony Rapp
Anthony Deane Rapp is an American stage and film actor and singer best known for originating the role of Mark Cohen in the Broadway production of Rent in 1996 and later for reprising the role in the film version and the Broadway Tour of Rent in 2009...
as Mark Cohen, a struggling Jewish filmmaker and Roger's roommate. Was dumped by Maureen for Joanne.
- Adam Pascal
Adam Pascal is an American actor and singer known for his performance as Roger Davis in the original cast of Jonathan Larson's musical Rent on Broadway 1996, the 2005 movie version of the musical, and the Broadway Tour of Rent in 2009...
as Roger Davis, an HIVHuman immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
-positive ex-junkieThe section about substance dependence in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders does not use the word addiction at all. It explains:...
rockRock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
musicianA musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
. Mimi's love interest.
- Rosario Dawson
Rosario Isabel Dawson is an American actress, singer, and writer. She has appeared in films such as Kids, Men in Black II, 25th Hour, Sin City, Clerks II, Rent, Death Proof, The Rundown, Eagle Eye, Alexander, Seven Pounds, Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief and Unstoppable.-Early...
as Mimi Marquez, an HIVHuman immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
-positive heroin junkieThe section about substance dependence in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders does not use the word addiction at all. It explains:...
and nightclub dancer. Roger's love interest.
- Jesse L. Martin
Jesse L. Martin is an American theatre, film, and television actor. He is known for originating the role of Tom Collins in the Broadway theatrical production of Rent, and for his portrayal of NYPD Detective Ed Green on the NBC drama television series Law & Order.-Early life:Martin, the third of...
as Tom Collins, an anarchistAnarchism is generally defined as the political philosophy which holds the state to be undesirable, unnecessary, and harmful, or alternatively as opposing authority in the conduct of human relations...
philosophyPhilosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
professorA professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
suffering from AIDSAcquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
; former roommate of Maureen, Roger, Mark, and Benny; Angel's love interest.
- Wilson Jermaine Heredia
Wilson Jermaine Heredia is an American actor best known for his portrayal of Angel Dumott Schunard in the Broadway musical Rent, for which he won the Tony Award and Drama Desk Award for Best Featured Actor in a musical...
as Angel Dumott Schunard, a gayHomosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
drag queenA drag queen is a man who dresses, and usually acts, like a caricature woman often for the purpose of entertaining. There are many kinds of drag artists and they vary greatly, from professionals who have starred in films to people who just try it once. Drag queens also vary by class and culture and...
street musician who is suffering from AIDSAcquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
; Collins' love interest.
- Idina Menzel
Idina Kim Menzel is an American actress, singer and songwriter. She is widely known for originating the roles of Maureen in Rent and Elphaba in Wicked.-Early life:...
as Maureen Johnson, a bisexual performance artist and Joanne's girlfriend; Mark's ex-girlfriend.
- Tracie Thoms
Tracie Nicole Thoms is an American television, film, and stage actress. She is best known for her roles in Rent, Cold Case, The Devil Wears Prada, Death Proof, and the short-lived Fox television series Wonderfalls....
as Joanne Jefferson, a lesbianLesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
Harvard-graduated lawyerA lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and Maureen's love interest.
- Taye Diggs
Scott Leo "Taye" Diggs is an American theatre, film and television actor. He is perhaps best known for his roles in the Broadway musical Rent, the motion picture How Stella Got Her Groove Back, and the television series Private Practice...
as Benjamin "Benny" Coffin III, Mark, Roger, and Mimi's apartment building landlordA landlord is the owner of a house, apartment, condominium, or real estate which is rented or leased to an individual or business, who is called a tenant . When a juristic person is in this position, the term landlord is used. Other terms include lessor and owner...
and ex-roommate of Collins, Roger, Maureen, and Mark.
Supporting characters
- Mackenzie Firgens
-Early life:Firgens was born in Burbank, California, close to Hollywood, and was raised by her musician/actor father and singer/artist mother. She has said that she knew she wanted to be an actor from a young age, and would put on plays for her parents and friends, often playing several roles. She...
as April Ericsson, Roger's late girlfriend
- Sarah Silverman
Sarah Kate Silverman is a Jewish American comedian, writer, actress, singer and musician. Her satirical comedy addresses social taboos and controversial topics such as racism, sexism, and religion....
as Alexi Darling, head of Buzzline
- Jennifer Siebel
Jennifer Lynn Siebel is an American documentary filmmaker, actress and the wife of former San Francisco Mayor and current Lieutenant Governor of California Gavin Newsom. She is the director, writer and producer of the film Miss Representation, which premiered in the documentary competition at the...
as Alexi Darling's receptionist
- Aaron Lohr
Aaron Lohr is an American actor and singer. He is best known for his role as Dean Portman, one of the "Bash Brothers" in The Mighty Ducks movies...
and Wayne WilcoxWayne Wilcox is an American actor/singer who appeared in the film version of the musical RENT as Gordon, a member of Angel and Tom's AIDS support group....
as Steve and Gordon, life support members
- Daryl Edwards and Anna Deavere Smith
Anna Deavere Smith is an American actress, playwright, and professor. She is currently the artist in residence at the Center for American Progress.-Early life:...
as Mr. and Mrs. Jefferson, Joanne's parents
- Kevin Blackton and Bettina Devin
-External links:*...
as Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, Maureen's parents
- Joel Swetow
- Select filmography :* Rent ... as Mr. Cohen* Star Trek: Enterprise** episode Terra Prime ... as Andorian Ambassador Thoris* Charmed... As the Avatar named Alpha* Alias** episode Second Double ... as Jens...
and Randy GraffRandy Graff is an American actress. Graff has been in feature films such as Keys to Tulsa and Rent as well as being in television shows such as NBC's Law & Order a number of times. In addition to film and television, Graff has been in several Broadway shows...
as Mr. and Mrs. Cohen, Mark's parents
- Chris Columbus
Christopher Joseph "Chris" Columbus is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. Columbus had his largest success with the first two films in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, along with Home Alone, the last...
(director cameoA cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
) as Angry man in car
Production
Rent was filmed in
Super 35 mm filmSuper 35 is a motion picture film format that uses exactly the same film stock as standard 35 mm film, but puts a larger image frame on that stock by using the negative space normally reserved for the optical analog sound track.Super 35 was revived from a similar Superscope variant known as...
format. Many exterior shots were filmed in New York City, specifically the
East VillageThe East Village is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, lying east of Greenwich Village, south of Gramercy and Stuyvesant Town, and north of the Lower East Side...
; the interior and remaining exterior shots were filmed in
San FranciscoSan Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
. Some additional exterior scenes where filmed in San Diego, the famed
FiloliFiloli is a country house set in of formal gardens surrounded by estate, located in Woodside, California, about 25 miles south of San Francisco, at the southern end of Crystal Springs Lake, on the eastern slope of the Santa Cruz Mountains....
House in
Woodside, CaliforniaWoodside is a small incorporated town in San Mateo County, California, United States, on the San Francisco Peninsula. It uses a council-manager system of government. The U.S. Census estimated the population of the town to be 5,287 in 2010....
(
San Mateo County, CaliforniaSan Mateo County is a county located in the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California. It covers most of the San Francisco Peninsula just south of San Francisco, and north of Santa Clara County. San Francisco International Airport is located at the northern end of the county, and...
), Oakland, and
Santa FeSanta Fe is the capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is the fourth-largest city in the state and is the seat of . Santa Fe had a population of 67,947 in the 2010 census...
, New Mexico.
Until 2001,
Spike LeeShelton Jackson "Spike" Lee is an American film director, producer, writer, and actor. His production company, 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks, has produced over 35 films since 1983....
was to direct the film for Miramax. However, budgetary constraints and Lee's insistence on engaging celebrities like
Justin TimberlakeJustin Randall Timberlake is an American pop musician and actor. He achieved early fame when he appeared as a contestant on Star Search, and went on to star in the Disney Channel television series The New Mickey Mouse Club, where he met future bandmate JC Chasez...
and
Brittany MurphyBrittany Anne Murphy-Monjack , known professionally as Brittany Murphy, was an American actress and singer. She starred in films such as Clueless, Just Married, Girl Interrupted, Spun, 8 Mile, Uptown Girls, Sin City, Happy Feet, and Riding in Cars with Boys...
stalled the project for a time.
In October 2004,
Revolution StudiosRevolution Studios is an American production company founded in 2000 by Joe Roth, a former chairman of Walt Disney Studios and 20th Century Fox. Revolution was formerly a strategic partner of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which distributed and marketed Revolution's films. The company's film division...
recovered the project, with
Chris ColumbusChristopher Joseph "Chris" Columbus is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. Columbus had his largest success with the first two films in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, along with Home Alone, the last...
as the director and
Columbia PicturesColumbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production and distribution company. Columbia Pictures now forms part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film companies...
as the distributor. Columbus, himself an
NYUNew York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
student and graduate at the turn of the 1980s, and in the location where the musical and film are set, felt a connection with the characters and their experiences. He can actually be seen in the beginning as an irritated driver who finds his car windshield being washed.
The first
trailerA trailer or preview is an advertisement or a commercial for a feature film that will be exhibited in the future at a cinema. The term "trailer" comes from their having originally been shown at the end of a feature film screening. That practice did not last long, because patrons tended to leave the...
for the film featuring the song "Seasons of Love" surfaced on various
Rent fan sites in early June 2005. The trailer was said to be shown before the films
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the SithStar Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith is a 2005 American epic space opera film written and directed by George Lucas. It is the sixth and final film released in the Star Wars saga and the third in terms of the series' internal chronology....
and
CrashCrash is a 2004 American drama film co-written, produced, and directed by Paul Haggis. The film is about racial and social tensions in Los Angeles, California. A self-described "passion piece" for Haggis, Crash was inspired by a real life incident in which his Porsche was carjacked outside a video...
in select cities beginning June 3, 2005.
MovieMusicals.net reported that the trailer would officially be released June 7, 2005, exclusively on America Online; the movie's official blog announced it would also air during the June 7 episode of
Access HollywoodAccess Hollywood is a weekday television entertainment news program covering events and celebrities in the entertainment industry. It was created by former Entertainment Tonight executive producer Jim Van Messel, and is currently directed by Robert Silverstein. In previous years, Doug Dougherty and...
.
A second trailer was released on August 25, 2005, which featured some dialog from the film as well as music from the second part of the finale ("Finale B"). A third trailer aired during the September 2005 season premiere of
Nip/TuckNip/Tuck is an American drama series created by Ryan Murphy, which aired on FX in the United States. The series focuses on McNamara/Troy, a plastic surgery practice, and follows its founders, Sean McNamara and Christian Troy...
, which contained new footage set again to "Seasons of Love."
The film's limited release date in
New York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
,
Los AngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, and
TorontoToronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
on November 11, 2005 was canceled, and the official premiere was at New York's
Ziegfeld TheatreThe Ziegfeld Theatre was a Broadway theater located at the intersection of Sixth Avenue and 54th Street in Manhattan, New York City. It was built in 1927 and, despite public protests, was razed in 1966....
.
Rating
In the US, the film has officially been rated PG-13 by the MPAA for "mature thematic material involving drugs and sexuality, and for some strong language". The rating was actually taken into consideration with creative decisions during script writing and filming. Even with changes (such as removing pervasive
profanityProfanity is a show of disrespect, or a desecration or debasement of someone or something. Profanity can take the form of words, expressions, gestures, or other social behaviors that are socially constructed or interpreted as insulting, rude, vulgar, obscene, desecrating, or other forms.The...
), director Chris Columbus still expresses amazement that the film received a "PG-13" due to risqué scenes and content. In Canada, it is rated PG. In the UK, the film was rated 12A by the BBFC.
In Ireland, the film is rated 15A by the Irish Film Classification Office on account of the scenes of hard drug use, a mugging scene, and some sexual references
In Australia, the film is rated M.
Critical reception
Rent earned mixed reviews, as indicated by its "rotten" 47% rating on
Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
. 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."
It was the third-highest grossing opening weekend for a Broadway musical adaptation, surpassed by the 2007 version of the film
HairsprayHairspray is a 2007 musical film produced by Kolaja Productions and distributed by New Line Cinema. It was released in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom on July 20, 2007. The film is an adaptation of the 2002 Broadway musical of the same name, which in turn was based on John...
and
The Phantom of the OperaThe Phantom of the Opera is a 2004 film adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1986 musical of the same name, which in turn was based on the French novel Le Fantôme de l'Opéra by Gaston Leroux....
.
The film was nominated for a number of awards, including a GLAAD Media Award for Best Picture Musical/Comedy. Rosario Dawson was also nominated for, and won, a Satellite Award for Most Outstanding Actress, and Christopher Columbus for Most Outstanding Director. Additionally, Rosario Dawson was nominated for Best Actress by the NAACP Image Awards.
Alternate ending
In addition to four
deleted sceneIn Entertainment, especially the film and television industry, Deleted scenes are parts of a film removed or censored from or replaced by another scene in the final "cut", or version, of a film...
s, the DVD release includes an alternate ending, showing all the main characters 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, he enters from the side and walks down the line to take his place, stopping as he 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
- As in the original musical, the story of the film spans the course of one year. The musical only stated that the action begins and ends on a December 24 and was meant to be the present; however, the film establishes the setting as 1989 to 1990. This creates some lyrical inconsistencies: for example, "Today 4 U" contains a reference to the film Thelma and Louise
Thelma & Louise is a 1991 film co-produced and directed by Ridley Scott and written by Callie Khouri, the film's plot revolves around Thelma and Louise's escape from their troubled and caged lives. It stars Geena Davis as Thelma and Susan Sarandon as Louise, and co-stars Harvey Keitel as a...
, which was not released until 1991, and the song "Over the Moon" makes apparent references to the Oklahoma City bombingThe Oklahoma City bombing was a terrorist bomb attack on the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995. It was the most destructive act of terrorism on American soil until the September 11, 2001 attacks. The Oklahoma blast claimed 168 lives, including 19...
which did not occur until 1995. Columbus has said that these specific dates were used because he intended for the action of the film to be taking place prior to the 1990s gentrificationGentrification and urban gentrification refer to the changes that result when wealthier people acquire or rent property in low income and working class communities. Urban gentrification is associated with movement. Consequent to gentrification, the average income increases and average family size...
of ManhattanManhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
's East VillageThe East Village is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, lying east of Greenwich Village, south of Gramercy and Stuyvesant Town, and north of the Lower East Side...
, the neighborhood in which the movie is set. Some elements of the story are shifted in time: in the musical, for example, Benny's padlock on the apartment is discovered on New Year's Eve; in the film it's found on New Year's Day.
- Many of the Broadway version's original songs were cut in order to add dialogue to the film and make the plot flow more naturally; on Broadway, it is a rock opera with very little spoken dialogue. Some songs not included in the film are “You Okay Honey?,” “Christmas Bells,” “Happy New Year A & B,” “Contact,” “We’re Okay,” along with “Tune Ups #1–3” and numerous answering machine messages. Some sections of the previous songs were transformed into spoken dialogue for entertainment purposes (as with "La Vie Boheme
"La Vie Bohème" is a song, which is broken into two parts , in the musical Rent. The song is a celebration of bohemianism, especially the type present in the 1980s Alphabet City, Manhattan, and begins with a mocking of the character Benny's statement that "Bohemia is dead"...
"). A solo by Mark, "Halloween," was filmed but cut because it did not "fit in with the pacing" of the film. "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. Both scenes are on the second disc of the DVD set as special features.
- Maureen appears much earlier in the film than in the musical.
- The film includes a newly created scene of an engagement party for Maureen and Joanne, hosted by Joanne's parents, that culminates in the song "Take Me or Leave Me" and the breakup of Maureen and Joanne's relationship. On stage, the fateful argument between Maureen and Joanne takes place as the two of them rehearse for another protest. Both Joanne's and Maureen's parents appear in the party scene. In the musical, Joanne's parents are heard and seen in a spotlight (Voicemail #2) and Maureen's parents are never introduced.
- The film also 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."
Home media
Rent was released on
DVDA DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
in the United States (Region 1) on February 21, 2006, in 2-disc fullscreen and 2.40:1 anamorphic
widescreenWidescreen images are a variety of aspect ratios used in film, television and computer screens. In film, a widescreen film is any film image with a width-to-height aspect ratio greater than the standard 1.37:1 Academy aspect ratio provided by 35mm film....
formats. DVD extras include an
audio commentaryOn disc-based video formats, an audio commentary is an additional audio track consisting of a lecture or comments by one or more speakers, that plays in real time with video...
with director Chris Columbus, Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal, as well as a new feature-length documentary on the making of the film, deleted scenes, and musical performances, a biography of Jonathan Larson, and
PSAA public service announcement or public service ad is a type of advertisement featured on television, radio, print or other media...
s.
Automat PicturesAutomat Pictures is a multi-award winning entertainment production company based in Los Angeles, which specializes in EPK, Blu-ray and DVD Added Value, as well original television programming, web content and independent feature film production....
produced the documentary content.
Rent was released on DVD in the United Kingdom (Region 2) on August 14, 2006, in dual-layer 2.40:1 anamorphic
widescreenWidescreen images are a variety of aspect ratios used in film, television and computer screens. In film, a widescreen film is any film image with a width-to-height aspect ratio greater than the standard 1.37:1 Academy aspect ratio provided by 35mm film....
format (rated 12 by the BBFC). The documentary is not on this version; instead, there are trailers for other Sony Pictures DVDs (such as
MirrorMaskMirrormask is a 2005 fantasy film from Jim Henson Pictures, Samuel Goldwyn Films, and Destination Films. It stars Stephanie Leonidas, Jason Barry, Rob Brydon, and Gina McKee. It is designed and directed by Dave McKean, written by Neil Gaiman from a story they developed together...
and
The Producers# "Overture" - Orchestra# "Opening Night" - Opening Nighters# "We Can Do It" - Max and Leo# "I Wanna Be a Producer" - Leo, Accountants, Mr. Marks and Dancing Chorus Girls# "Der Guten Tag Hop-Clop" - Franz, Max, and Leo...
).
Rent was released on
Blu-rayBlu-ray Disc is an optical disc storage medium designed to supersede the DVD format. The plastic disc is 120 mm in diameter and 1.2 mm thick, the same size as DVDs and CDs. Blu-ray Discs contain 25 GB per layer, with dual layer discs being the norm for feature-length video discs...
on December 11, 2007.
Soundtrack
The
soundtrackA soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
was released September 23, 2005 in single- (17 tracks) and 2-disc (28 tracks) editions. The single-disc edition is a
Selections Soundtrack.
External links
-
- Interview with Anthony Rapp
Anthony Deane Rapp is an American stage and film actor and singer best known for originating the role of Mark Cohen in the Broadway production of Rent in 1996 and later for reprising the role in the film version and the Broadway Tour of Rent in 2009...
and Taye DiggsScott Leo "Taye" Diggs is an American theatre, film and television actor. He is perhaps best known for his roles in the Broadway musical Rent, the motion picture How Stella Got Her Groove Back, and the television series Private Practice...
and also Stephen John Ramirez