Movie Review by Scott Essman

Adam Pascal (l) and Rosario Dawson star in Revolution Studios’ rock opera Rent, a Columbia Pictures release. Photo by: Phil Bray

Directed by Chris Columbus; Written by Stephen Chbosky based on the Broadway musical (book, music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson); Rosario Dawson as Mimi Marquez; Taye Diggs as Benjamin "Benny" Coffin III; Wilson Jermaine Heredia as Angel Schunard; Jesse L. Martin as Thomas B. "Tom" Collins; Idina Menzel as Maureen Johnson; Adam Pascal as Roger Davis; Anthony Rapp as Mark Cohen; Tracie Thoms as Joanne Jefferson. 135 Minutes.  From Sony Pictures Entertainment.

Wilson Jermaine Heredia (l) and Jesse L. Martin star in Revolution Studios’ rock opera Rent, a Columbia Pictures release. Photo by: Phil Bray

To any real “RentHead,” a film version of the nine-year-old musical Rent was a no-win proposition. The late Jonathan Larson's Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning Broadway rock opera — based on Puccini’s classic La Boheme — is an unqualified phenomenon, where diehard fans have been waiting nightly in lines to try to win $20 tickets to the show.  Naturally, a film version has been ruminated upon for many years now.

Telling the story of one year in the life of eight friends in the 1989-1990 era of the East Village in New York, Rent has become a classic in its own right – a tale of love, loss, and daily anguish amongst an eclectic backdrop of bohemian life.

To add to the difficulty of bringing Larson’s minimalist staging to the screen, director Chris Columbus lobbied for the project, winning the assignment despite his staunchly mainstream track record.  Columbus previous directorial outings include Home Alone, Mrs. Doubtfire, Nine Months, Bicentennial Man, and the first two Harry Potter films.

However, despite the surface obstacles, what Columbus, screenwriter Stephen Chbosky, and the key cast have realized with the film version is likely to please all but the pickiest of audiences – RentHeads and general fans alike.

In the first place, six of the eight original Broadway cast members have returned to reprise their roles.  This piece of

casting was quite astute on the part of Columbus and the producers, as the actors’ necessary familiarity with their characters and songs help bring this film its requisite passion and intensity.  Leads Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp are the perfect roommates Roger and Mark, and nine years has not diminished their youthful appearances and affinity for their parts.  Meanwhile, Taye Diggs, Wilson Jermaine Heredia, Jesse L. Martin, and Idina Menzel all shine in their supporting roles.

Tracie Thoms (l) and Idina Menzel star in Revolution Studios’ rock opera Rent, a Columbia Pictures release. Photo by: Phil Bray

The two new key cast members – nascent movie star Rosario Dawson as Mimi and TV star Tracie Thoms as Joanne – both fit comfortably into the ensemble despite being new additions.  Interestingly, Daphne Rubin-Vega, who was transfixing as Mimi in the original Broadway production — and nominated for a Tony Award for her performance — was not selected for the film.  Ditto for Fredi Walker, the powerful singer who played Joanne on stage.  But their replacements are more than adequate.  Dawson may not have the husky sexy vocal talents of Rubin-Vega, but she brings a spectacular physicality to Mimi.  Thoms sings melodically and is always believable as the tightly-wound Joanne.  The film also features some fine cameos, the best of which is Sarah Silverman as the TV show Buzzline’s sleazy executive Alexi Darling.

In addition to hanging the movie on his wonderful cast, Columbus has opened up the show with carefully selected and dressed New York locations.  The exteriors always speak honestly of George H.W. Bush-era New York, a time when urban decay had hit the East Village and true gentrification had yet to set in.   Columbus’ streets catch the vibe of New York and provide the film with its ninth key character.           

Tracie Thoms (l) and Anthony Rapp star in Revolution Studios’ rock opera Rent, a Columbia Pictures release. Photo by: Phil Bray

Notably, many changes have been made from the stage presentation, with varying degrees of success.  Most significantly, Columbus’ characters speak their dialogue, as opposed to Larson’s original group who sang nearly every word.  For any fans of the show – in addition to the many fans of the original Broadway cast recording – this is a change that takes acclimation as one expects to hear the marvelously sung interactions between Mark and Roger, the many comical voice mails, and especially the final scenes with Mimi’s return to Roger.  Instead, all of this material has been transformed into Chbosky dialogue, which works well enough and often mirrors Larson’s words.

Of course, Columbus has re-recorded all of the show’s songs, and since the cast is ¾ the same as the original Broadway group, it’s difficult not to compare them.  Where some of the new numbers soar, including a mesmerizing opening rendition of “Seasons of Love,” other sections do not come off as strongly as the stage version.  “Over the Moon,” Maureen’s performance-art protest segment, is nicely staged, though Menzel’s song on the soundtrack comes off more powerfully in several areas than the version in the film.  “La Vie Boheme” is so lovingly executed in the film, it at least matches the album cut.

Columbus and Chbosky have changed and rearranged other material from the show, but it’s best left for individual Rent fans to judge these modifications on their own.  Needless to say, the movie often has energy, conviction, and emotion which honor Larson’s show while cinematically expanding the canvas of the musical in respectful ways.

Certainly, many fanatical RentHeads will find fault with the film, but ultimately, Columbus’ movie both pays homage to the show while chiseling its own sculpture of what Rent means in cinematic terms.  With the source material and cast behind this version, any Rent fan and would-be future Rent fan is sure to delight in this tribute to love and life.  Unexpectedly, Columbus and his team have done the musical and Larson proud.