RENT

“New York city, center of the universe-
times are shitty, but I’m sure they can’t get worse"
-Angel

Adapted from Puccini’s “La Boheme” (The Bohemians) into a Pulitzer and Tony Award winning stage musical by the late Jonathan Larson, and then onto the screen by Chris Columbus and Stephen Chbosky, this tale of life and love among the bohemians of New York’s East Village transcends borders and generations. La Boheme debuted in Turin, Italy in 1896 and Larson’s “Rent” opened almost a hundred years later, but both productions show us how much we as humanity do not change. We laugh, we cry, we hate, we love, and we are all susceptible to vices, no matter the country, no matter the era. We are human, and no human is more so than a bohemian, which the American Heritage Dictionary defines as “a person with artistic or literary interests who disregards conventional standards of behavior.”

I’m not one for convention myself, and although it’d be a stretch to define myself as a bohemian, I do understand what it’s about. I was given an artistic temperament at my inception and as a result I eschew corporate notions and ideals. I embrace individualism and expression of self. I love La Boheme- and I love RENT.

I’m a bit of a traditionalist when it comes to musicals, so the rock opera approach has never been that appealing to me. The Who’s “Tommy”, although catchy in places, is too much for my ears and Lloyd Webber’s early pop stuff comes off as brash and simplistic. I like things on stage to flow and have beauty, so the great operas such as La Boheme and La Traviata have found a place in my soul, as have modern day productions in the classical tradition, such as Les Miserable and Phantom of the Opera. If there’s an electric guitar in the orchestra pit then I’m probably staying home, which is an odd thing for a Led Zeppelin fan to say, but I’m just talking about stage and screen musicals. The old MGM screen musicals of the 40s and 50s sit well with me too, so I’m hard pressed to get much out of anything that doesn’t have tap dancing or a tenor.

In RENT it’s the story that matters, even though a few of the musical numbers stand out and stay with me, most notably the anthem of the show, “Seasons of Love”. Another standout number, “Today 4 U” is performed by Wilson Jermain Heredia as “Angel”, in a percussion number using drumsticks, much like Fred Astaire did in the number “Drum Crazy” from 1948’s Easter Parade. Both of them ingeniously utilize the drumsticks to catch the rhythm of the song while they dance. It’s almost musical theatre blasphemy to compare anyone to the late great Fred Astaire, but Heredia brings skill and character to what must be a very difficult number. Astaire fans from the old days would also have a difficult time accepting that Angel is a drag queen who performs “Today 4 U” in a feminine santa suit, but to say that it can only be done in a certain way that meets with one’s criteria is to forget what the bohemians are all about. Frankly, I think Fred Astaire would have found it amusing.

This story has gay themes, but it’s not all about that- it just happens to be a part of the setting. If you're relunctant to accept homosexuality in society, then consider it a metaphor for your own desires and this story will serve you well.

There’s also some drug use in the setting and some of the characters are dying of AIDS. Not everyone in the story is dying, and not everyone uses drugs- it’s just that some of them are and in that way it’s a reflection of reality. Of course, most of us don’t burst into a sad love song when a dear one dies in our arms (although I might someday), but the tragic human condition depicted in this story certainly isn’t alien to any of us. On some level we can all relate to it, and that’s the part of RENT that appeals to each and every one of us.

I couldn’t give this film my top score because I just couldn’t get into some of the musical numbers- but it comes close. The cast is top notch, as is the direction and flow. I haven’t seen the stage version and probably won’t, so no comparisons here- just an honest assessment of a poignant musical film that packs an emotional punch.

Life is love.

4 rent checks out of 5