Rent 4K UHD Review
“Rent” has aged well.
Based on the Broadway show by Jonathan Larson (who did the book, music, and lyrics), 2005’s “Rent” is a feature-film adaptation helmed by director Chris Columbus and adapted by Stephen Chbosky. The story takes place from 1989-1990 in NYC and focuses on a group of Bohemian artist friends who are struggling to survive, pay rent, and in some cases dealing with being HIV-Positive during the AIDS epidemic. The core characters here are: Mark (a filmmaker), Roger (a rocker), Mimi (a stripper and drug addict), Thomas (a gay philosophy professor), Angel (a drag queen and street musician), Maureen (a performance artist), Joanne (a lawyer), and Benny (a landlord who turned his back on his friends). As the film unfolds, we learn about their various relationships, fears, desires, and friendships.
Back when “Rent” was released theatrically in 2005, I wasn’t overly enamored by the film. It goes without saying that the musical is one of the most beloved Broadway shows of the past 30 years, but it lacks a central narrative and feels more like a collection of subplots (which still holds true). This time around though I was more receptive to the big screen version. Perhaps the fantastic “Tick, Tick…Boom!” helped put it into perspective or maybe the notion of starving artists struggling to get by merely resonated with me more. Whatever the case may be, this musical about art, dreamers, love, mortality, friendship, and loss has a lot going on even if it stumbles a bit along the way.
When it boils down to it, the cast really makes this movie work. The ensemble (which is largely made up of Original Broadway Cast members like Anthony Rapp, Idina Menzel, Taye Diggs and Jesse L. Martin) give it their all here as they belt out iconic tracks like “Seasons Of Love” and “La Vie Boheme.” Can it be a bit corny and watered down? Sure, but the camaraderie of the cast and characters holds it all together. Anthony Rapp, Rosario Dawson, Idina Menzel, and Wilson Jermaine Heredia are particularly on point here.
Chris Columbus was criticized for his direction, but that always seemed a bit puzzling to me. The sets, location shooting, and creative choreography of the musical numbers really adds a lot here. The filmmaker uses spaces to their full advantage. He makes it a real theatrical experience.
Video/Audio:
Presentation: 2.40:1 2160p. How does it look? Fans will be happy to know that the 4K picture quality is significantly sharper than past home video releases. Well worth the upgrade.
Audio Track: Dolby Atmos. How does it sound? The Atmos track packs a punch. The lively musical numbers are especially noteworthy here.
Extras:
* Theatrical trailer
* Digital copy
* 12 minutes of deleted scenes and musical performances with optional Chris Columbus commentary.
* 2 PSAs
* Commentary by Chris Columbus, Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp
* “No Day But Today”- A 2 hour documentary primarily about Jonathan Larson.
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