Rent (2005)

2005 • 135 minutes

About this movie

Jonathan Larson's Pulitzer Prize-winning revolutionary rock opera tells the story of a group of bohemians struggling to express themselves through their art and "measuring their lives in love." Against the gritty backdrop of New York's East Village, these friends strive for success and acceptance while enduring the obstacles of poverty and the AIDS epidemic. Among them are a songwriter (Adam Pascal), his downstairs neighbor, an exotic dancer (Rosario Dawson), his filmmaker roommate (Anthony Rapp), the roommate's performance artist girlfriend (Idina Menzel) who's recently left him for a woman lawyer (Tracie Thoms), a philosophy professor (Jesse L. Martin), his soulmate (Wilson Jermaine Heredia), and their former friend and current landlord (Taye Diggs). © 2005 Revolution Studios Distribution Company, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Ratings and reviews

Rent is your average musical. The main character lacks any sort of challenge and acts more as a POV for the audience than an actual living breathing character, which makes the secondary characters stand out in a much more dynamic way, and ultimately leaves the audience wanting to see a concentrated look on those people instead. The lyrics and music are by far the best part of this musical, Seasons of Love and Light My Candle are classics and overall carry this movie past its lackluster plot.

I've seen the play more times than I can count and this movie is the absolute next best thing. RENT has lived in my heart for decades and I'm glad I can share it with the next generation, thanks in part to the great job they did on this movie. I love that it's mostly origional actors. These were the people I saw do my first shows.

One of the first in his kind, singing the hole musical/movie through! Amazing actors & voices! If you dont like grease and dirty dancing, give this one a go and watch it. If your not open minded, you might learn something.. Enjoy!