Viva la vie boheme!

In 1997, Marc (a fellow med-student/Broadway freak) lent me the soundtrack of the newest musical to hit B'way. He cautioned me to put aside all my "straight-laced Woodrose ideals" (his words, not mine) and to appreciate the musical for what it was -- a celebration of life. At this point, I was an avowed Les Mis/Miss Saigon/Phantom/Secret Garden fan, and was skeptical that I would embrace a rock-opera-musical. But I was eager to find a new favourite musical, so took the CD. I listened to it once. Then again. And once more. I was hooked. I made a tape, and wore it out while I scoured the music stores of Manila looking for my own copy, eventually asking my parents to get it for me on their next overseas trip. When I saw the musical on Broadway a few years later, I became an avowed RENT-HEAD.

Fast forward to 2002. Chicago the musical had just been made into a movie. The underground was buzzing about "Rent the movie". I was worried. Sure Chicago was great, the experience of Evita still scarred me and I didn't want one of my favourite musicals to be ruined by celluloid. Especially since there had been rumours of casting Britney Spears as Mimi and Justin Timberlake as Roger. (I still shudder at the thought.) Eventually, those rumours died, and I forgot about the RENT movie.

And then, last year, I saw the trailer. The opening bars of Seasons of Love had me grabbing my boyfriend's arm "Oh my god! I have to see this movie!!!" I was even more ecstatic when I realised that, not only had they NOT cast Britney Spears, but they had gotten back most of the original cast. I just HAD to watch this movie.

RENT opened in Australia on March 2, 2006. The next day, I found myself in an empty cinema, eagerly anticipating those opening bars. Being alone in a cinema was a bit eerie, but the film was not well promoted in Australia. Never mind, as soon as the music started, I was with an old friend.

Yes, director Chris Columbus tweaked it a bit. Songs were cut, some were spoken. Some were put in different settings -- Mimi's Out Tonight goes from being an invitation to Roger for a night on the town to the background for a strip-tease. Also, time passed differently -- rather than occurring on Christmas Eve, the first act extended into the days past Christmas. Tracie Thoms, the new Joanne, has less venom than the original, which disturbed me slightly. I was annoyed that Joanne's and Maureen's relationship was made less pertinent, making Take Me or Leave Me seem like an out-of-the-blue temper tantrum.

But the film still manages to capture the spirit and energy of the play. Another truly enjoyable aspect of the movie is seeing how the characters evolved over the last 10 years and what the actors have brought to the role. Check out what Jesse Martin does with I'll Cover You (Reprise) -- you'd have to have a heart of stone to not tear up during this scene.

All in all, go see RENT. RENT-HEADS, don't go in expecting it to be the same as the play, go in expecting a twist to an old favourite. And for everyone else, enjoy a movie that celebrates life.

NO DAY BUT TODAY!!!