RENT: a community that has evicted nothing but should have thrown out some of the old for the new.
Rent is a musical. It's that simply. There are characters that sing. Rent has to be the most straight from stage to screen version of any other musical that has ever been made. I would have to say that the overall screenplay credit should go to Jonathan Larson, the playwright, himself. There were times in the theater that I would find myself mouthing exactly what was coming out of the characters' mouths. Yes, in the stage version most of these lines were somewhat sung/spoken but does that mean they have to be turned into the actual dialogue and changing just one word doesn't make it that different. Example time: well I can't think of one right now but there were many.
So the film opens now with a song that uses to open the second act of the stage version. Do something on the stage, dammit!!!! These should have been the time that most of the audience should have been introduced to the characters and what there relationships are to one another. Or if anything their names: Example: Yunus: that handsome guy he had AIDS, right? Me: Roger? Yes. (this was midway through the film)
Because who knows if a first timer is going to remember all their names. There are seven main characters. Taye Diggs doesn't count. This is another problem that will be attacked later.
"dec 24, nine p.m. 1989" I'm over the date that the film takes place in. I have come to terms with it. But were there ATM's then?? I looked it up and yes there where since the 60's.
The CAST:
Rosario Dawson: Mimi (dancer/drug user/AIDS)
Taye Diggs: Benny (landlord/former friend to all)
Wilson Jermaine Heredia: Angel (drag queen/AIDS)
Jesse L. Martin: Collins (comp. teacher/AIDS)
Idina Menzel: Maureen (performance artist)
Adam Pascal: Roger (musician/AIDS)
Anthony Rapp: Mark (filmmaker)
Tracie Thoms: Joanne (lawyer)
There are no standout performances in RENT. In regards to standout, I'm talking about career defining or Oscar junk. Now there where some good ones and there were some bad ones Good: Rosario and Jesse. Bad: Taye and Adam. the other's were ok.
There's a big problem that I guess I should attack now. There are too many main/key characters in this movie. I hate to say this be I wished that Chris Columbus, the director and rewriter of the screenplay yet didn't give himself credit for in the end, sure have remembered that seven is alot for a film. There's never enough time anywhere to fully see these beautiful characters. It's as if to keep everything like the stage version we have to give up emotion/depth. I love the musical to death, but come on. In the world of film, somethings have to be cut out to make a better film. I had to say it. The whole musical is too big for this film to hold and keep everything, so really all you're get is a rushed visual. So in regards to talking about performance everything I'm about to say with a grain of salt.
Rosario and Jesse were the only two individual that I didn't have to keep remaining myself that they are theater actors and let things slide. I believe in both of their performances. The part of Mimi is not an easy part to get your head around. But I feel that the subtle looks and manners that Rosario played with help to see Mimi as a person up on screen. You have to remember that your head is two stories tall on screen then the right size on the stage. Anthony Rapp do you hear that!!! Vocals could have been better, I will say that about Rosario.
Oh Jesse, you're funny. Your voice is amazing. Good line delivery
The bad in shorthand: A bad waste of Taye and Adam can't act out emotion to save his life.
Heredia, Menzel, Rapp, Thoms: well done, you did it.
yes, they are ten years too old. At their ages, they should at least have some sort of day job.
Here's one thing: Roger has AIDS. Did you the audience know that??? Or was it something that you had to somewhat guess on your own. What the....You shouldn't have to guess this part of the plot. But I guess it doesn't help when some important plot points are left out of the Roger backstory. Just to help you along. Roger had a girlfriend named April. She killed herself because she got AIDS for needle sharing, therefore giving Rogar AIDS...Thats why Roger won't leave the house and it so hard for him to love again and his hatred of drugs and needle hence why he yells at Mimi for her drug use.
The music is what keeps things going in this film. You have to love the music if not for anything else. I first fell in love with the music before I even saw the play for the first time.
One of the best numbers in the film that works is Tango: Maureen. Now I know that there’s a dream sequence. But the way that it is staged is great. So you have the two of many lovers of Maureen, the recently dumped Mark and her current lover Joanne. It starts out as a battle back and forth. But the dream sequence (which I have to say is some smart filmmaking), you get to see their point of view of Maureen, but also very important character traits of Maureen’s. Come on, die hard RENThead could you watch just tango or was it funnier and character developing to see the dream. I think so.
Numbers that didn’t/don’t look good on screen:
Today 4 U and Over the Moon…didn’t work at all.
Just need a lot of work:
What You Own and Another Day
The worse put together part of Rent…..editing/cinematography is on the number Today 4 U. Now I have a few idea’s why. Wilson/Angel movement are too fast on screen as well as some of the weirdest cuts and angles…..I have a feeling that this was just a son of a bitch to film and edit for a tech point of view ….plus it a little long and boring on screen.
Over the Moon is write for a stage not a screen. I was bored and it one of my favorite parts of the musical. Because it lacking the main thing that it needs to work a live audience in order to fuel the performance. Moo...I don't think so. But I give Menzel a plus for sing/performing it live.
Oh yeah. This film has no direction because it’s pretty much the play. Sorry Chris. You could have made a great film, not just an OK one.
Not some much the theme’s of RENT but the subject matter is very dated/seen before. But it didn’t have to be. AIDS isn’t that hot of an issue right now but that doesn’t mean that there a cure yet. There should still be the awareness of AIDS. Are we as a public not aware that there are people out there dieing of AIDS still? From the reaction on the thirteen year old I sat by the second time around, I don't even think she understood AIDS for the common cold. Or at least didn't understand the reason behind the AIDS subject matter. More on AIDS later.
Homosexuality! It seems that regardless of what time I saw it (one, two or three) there will always been someone that it shocked by the fact that there are men kissing men and women kissing women. However most of these people were still in high school. Not that I saying that this is a dated issue. But I have seen more gay action/(what stand you want to add here on gay issues) on cable television then in RENT.
Yes, people, that brings me to another issue that RENT lacks. Where is the sex???? RENT: there’s these sexuality beings that live and breathe. Yes I got the fact that they are all friends. But it’s to love who you love and there is more sexual tension on the stage then there is onscreen. Come on Mr. Columbus it not everyday that I call for more sex.
Where are all the Asian people in this film…..for a film that is about love and communities? You’re missing a pretty big one.
Rent takes on way too much….Chris should of let it become the mini-series that it almost was….I think it would of served the American audience better to get to know and understand the depth of these character that we don’t get to see on screen because of the fact that there is so much singing to get through. I had to say it but RENT could have been a better movie, if in fact it wasn’t a musical.
But will all that said and done I still has fun. See it if nothing else to get you gear and ready for the next time RENT comes to town. I think of it as an added bonus to the days that I don’t get to see RENT on the stage. It will keep me entertain just like my soundtracks.
I end with a statement by Jonathan Larson: In these dangerous times, where it seems that the world is ripping apart at the seams, we all can learn how to survive from those who stare death squarely in the face every day and [we] should reach out to each other and bond as a community, rather than hide from the terrors of life at the end of the millennium.
where is that movie....i want to see that one. it makes sense to me about the themes of RENT could so help the world today. It's just that the leap to the big screen was nothing more then a bad copy of the original. There just two different mediums.
there are many things that I haven't talked about yet. So I don't feel that this is the end of my rave yet. However it will have to work for now. I do have some good things to say as well, maybe later.
One thing I glad about is a young audience does get to see this film because to them nothing is out-dated.
i stand: IN THE MIDDLE TORN
No comments:
Post a Comment