From stage to screen

After filling my belly with a load of mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce, I took myself to the movies! Admittedly, I entered the theater with a bit of hesitation. This was one of my favorite musicals being brought to the big screen. I own the original cast recording, had seen the show live and have been known to randomly burst into "One Song Glory." I love film, and I love theater, but that does not mean I think they should always get together. Yet, one thing is for sure: "RENT," the movie, cannot help but still be loved. \nIt is the story of bohemians trying to just live life in the East Village, and a group of friends struggling with life, love, AIDS and the culture that boxes them in. It's a musical, so they definitely talk and sing about their problems and -- sometimes -- they even dance. The trailer claims that it defines a generation. Whatever that generation may be, each character does define a stereotype. There is the artist, the musician, the beauty, the rebel, the lesbian, the loner, and then there's Angel, the drag queen that ties them all together. \nFor fans, the film does aim to stay true to the original Broadway production. So true, in fact, that they even cast six of the original members. They did welcome two new members Tracie Thoms (Joanne) and Rosario Dawson (Mimi). Yet, Dawson was the only one without a musical theatre background. Her voice is not the strongest, but it's pretty and she does a noteworthy job of playing the sultry and reckless young Mimi. \nWhile "RENT" does hold onto its roots, director Chris Columbus' construction of the film tends to hold on a little too tight. There is a scuffle between being true to creator Jonathan Larson's vision and making it into a film. There is a tendency for it to feel one-dimensional, or like a stagnant camera capturing performers on a stage. Columbus has moments where he branches out by editing in flashbacks and dream sequences that would not be possible in a theater production, but it would have been nice to see more creativity. The strongest scenes are the Life Support meetings. Instead of feeling like an audience member in an auditorium, the camera movement helps bring the audience closer to the action. There is an intimate feeling created that allows viewers to feel like they are really in it. More experimentation with the transfer from stage to screen would have offered a new twist, but in the end it still presents the same message: There is no day but today!