In a word, beautiful. Now, I must admit I'm biased, given that I've seen RENT on Broadway eight times and can pretty much recite it in my sleep, but by any standards, I think this film is pretty amazing. I came into the whole RENT world fairly late, first falling in love with the 2005 movie and then, after seeing the show, realizing how truly horrible the 2005 movie was. RENT filmed live on Broadway seemed to me like a 'haha, in your face' to Chris Columbus. The perfect simplicity of this movie overshadowed Columbus' mangled, depressing version that was just all wrong.
Although I still missed the thrill of seeing the show live, of applauding along with the rest of the theatre when Mimi begins 'Out Tonight' or when Angel enters for 'Today 4 U,' this movie is pretty much the best you can get without actually seeing the show on Broadway. You see things you might miss live, the faded 'Only the good die young' emblazoned on the back of Roger's jacket, or the look of peaceful satisfaction that crosses Angel's face when Mark finally refers to her as 'she.' All in all, the solos and duets were amazingly done and gave you a whole new perspective on the show.
The one thing I wished the movie had focused more on was the ensemble numbers. For big numbers like 'La Vie Boheme' or 'Christmas Bells,' seeing everyone doing everything at once is kind of the point. When the camera zoomed in on individuals during these scenes, they lost a bit of their impact for me. However, having seen those numbers live previously, it was nothing that bothered me too much.
Overall, though, it was fabulous. As long as RENT is closed and I can't see it at the Nederlander, I'm perfectly happy with watching this version at home.
Although I still missed the thrill of seeing the show live, of applauding along with the rest of the theatre when Mimi begins 'Out Tonight' or when Angel enters for 'Today 4 U,' this movie is pretty much the best you can get without actually seeing the show on Broadway. You see things you might miss live, the faded 'Only the good die young' emblazoned on the back of Roger's jacket, or the look of peaceful satisfaction that crosses Angel's face when Mark finally refers to her as 'she.' All in all, the solos and duets were amazingly done and gave you a whole new perspective on the show.
The one thing I wished the movie had focused more on was the ensemble numbers. For big numbers like 'La Vie Boheme' or 'Christmas Bells,' seeing everyone doing everything at once is kind of the point. When the camera zoomed in on individuals during these scenes, they lost a bit of their impact for me. However, having seen those numbers live previously, it was nothing that bothered me too much.
Overall, though, it was fabulous. As long as RENT is closed and I can't see it at the Nederlander, I'm perfectly happy with watching this version at home.