DVD: Rent


Exactly the same plusses and minuses as the stage musical

Whenever I listen to the Rent original cast recording or the two times I saw it on stage (NY and SF) I always have the same reaction: there are moments of absolute brilliance and moments of tiresome tedium. It doesn't matter how many times I listen or see, I'm not going to appreciate the sing-sung answering machine messages, or the Tango Maureen, or the Act I centerpiece, Maureen's "performance art" piece.

And each time I listen or see I feel old because I find myself thinking during the opening number "well, I wished I didn't have to pay my rent either during the late 80s in NY because I was totally paycheck-to-paycheck...but you know, you gotta pay rent!"

And I think well some of this comes close to real rock music, but most of it really isn't.

But I also get a lump in my throat every time I hear Seasons of Love, or One Song Glory or either version of I'll Cover You or the very simple musical round sung in the AIDS support group meeting.

The movie version of Rent is a pretty faithful adaptation. Actually director Chris Columbus cuts out some of the stuff that seemed like filler in the stage production, and does pretty nice work adding the usually-dreaded-montage-sequences behind some of the songs. Some of the scenes are a little too soundstage-musical for the era and gritty plot being depicted. The opening scene with all the flying flaming things coming out of everyone's window looked more like a bad Michael Jackson video. But generally they do a nice job of being true to the original even while opening it up.

Although I saw this piece in NY I missed, I believe, all of the original cast, so I appreciated the opportunity to see these folks at work, particularly Wilson Jermaine Heredia and Jesse L. Martin. These two are the real stand-outs, and it almost throws the story out of whack a bit because they outshine Adam Pascal and Rosario Dawson (Rent's version of Mimi and Rodolfo.) If there is one reason to rent this DVD and see this piece it is to watch Martin and Heredia's love affair and interplay. From their joyful love duet I'll Cover You, to their rubber-limbed subway sequence to Martin's heart-wrenching eulogy...you can see why Martin has become a star and can wonder why Heredia has not.

Much has been made of the fact that this is the original cast 10 years later, save two exceptions: Rosario Dawson and Tracie Thoms. Um, yeah, they all look a little past their prime, but it doesn't bother me. Nor am I bothered by the two replacements. Thoms is great, and Dawson is just fine, despite what the naysayers have naysaid. I mean, listen to original Daphne Rubin-Vega...she did not have some Mermanesque big belt either.

For me seeing this on DVD was actually very enjoyable because I could speed my way through the handful of songs and scenes that I know I don't love, and focus on those wonderful, poignant scenes and songs that make up the bulk of the show. There are really strong reasons to see Rent, so go out and rent it. Heh.

Buy Rent at Amazon.com

Posted: Sat - March 18, 2006 at 07:42 AM       EmailFeedback

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