After the movie...

There are two ways of looking at Rent the movie: comparing it to the play or judging it on its own.

When compared to the play, I was disappointed. The timeline was changed, scenes were added, and some of my favorite songs were cut.

On its own, it was okay but not spectacular. The ending dragged. I won't be buying the DVD or wanting to see it again.

The movie really seemed to play up the victimization of the characters that the play didn't. The play seemed to be a lot more about love, but the movie seemed to be saying "I got AIDS from drugs and irresponsible sex and now my life sucks so feel badly for me." For that reason alone, there were no tears in my eyes when people "disappeared" and died.

I did not feel badly for any of the characters with AIDS because they all got it by being irresponsible. I think that's the main reason I really didn't like the movie. The movie made them victims, but none were real victims. Getting AIDS from rape, a birth mother, or a cheating spouse make you a victim; drugs and irresponsible sex do not.

Rent characters were coping with a life that they made for themselves. That's why Benny (before his affair) is my favorite character. He's a realist and realizes that he can help more people with money, not stupid "moo-ing" protests. While he is portrayed as "selling-out," he offers free rent and pays for Mimi's AZT.

Mark (a moneyless filmmaker) and Roger (unemployed musician) are portrayed as bohemian heroes, but they are basically unemployed people who don't want to work-ahem-I mean sell out. The movie makes them victims, but of course they can't pay the rent because they don't work! I can respect their choice of the bohemian lifestyle as long as they are willing to live with the consequences of that choice.

Basically, I really didn't like the movie because it portrayed everyone as victims when no one was truly a victim.

Confidential to Kristina D: WAH!