Everything Is Rent

When I’m really looking forward to something… a movie, for example… I think I lower my expectations to prevent disappointment. I’m willing to overlook a lot of flaws because I’m so excited to experience the final product. Due to my own stubbornness, I will enthusiastically embrace a mediocre movie solely because I want to like it.

Last night I saw the movie Rent. Being a huge fan of the musical, I have seen it three times. I have the cast recording memorized from beginning to end. For years I have anticipated the big screen version with a great deal of trepidation. How could they translate the story from stage to film? I walked out of the theater feeling ill. It was one of the worst screen adaptations of a musical that I have ever seen – even worse than A Chorus Line which was completely appalling. I don’t blame the actors. They were all too old to be reprising their roles, but I think they did the best they could under the completely misguided direction of Chris Columbus. It was just awkward.

Despite my disapproval for the movie, it did rekindle the love I have for the musical. It has been a long time since I listened to the songs. Many of them have a much stronger meaning to me because of my current situation. I was moved to tears several times by the power of the lyrics. The original cast recording is definitely going back into my regular CD rotation.