Rent (2005)

You guys, how have I not seen this movie until now? I know so many songs from this film and I know the gist of the story, but I never actually sat down and watched it. And I was absolutely blown away by it! The singers in this movie were so powerful, and the message the film portrayed about AIDS and love was unforgettable.

Rent is the film version of an award winning musical that depicts the lives of various performers who live in New York City. These unique individuals all deal with troubles including poverty, love, and AIDs, and their stories prove just how significant one life can be to the lives of all of the people surrounding them.

First off, can I just say I had no idea that Idina Menzel was in this movie? I texted my sister amazed when I first saw Idina on screen and my sister was basically like, "Duh." Guess I never really paid attention to this movie until now! I absolutely love Idina Menzel (we already know how incredible her voice is…) and thought her character was fantastic . Well, all of the characters were fantastic. How can one movie have a cast of such amazing characters with such complex personalities? I loved all of them! The way they interacted was so interesting and they all had an important role in each others' lives. 

Not only were the characters great, but so were the songs. My favorites were definitely Tango: Maureen, Out Tonight, and the opening version of Seasons of Love. The scenes were so fun and the way the music is interwoven into the story makes everything so much more interesting and fascinating. There were definitely serious aspects of this movie considering it's about poverty and AIDS, but there were lots of fun moments that gave the movie a lighter edge. And there were so many songs. I'm not used to a musical having songs practically very five minutes of the film. As a fan of musicals, though, I loved the constant singing and performances put on. 

I was so surprised how connected I was to the relationships among the various characters. Whether they were between two women, a man and a woman, or a man and a drag queen, I was invested in every single relationship of this film. By the end, I wanted to bawl my eyes out as each relationship went through their individual trials. They have to deal with cheating, drugs, and disease, and it just hurts seeing them hurting. You come to love these characters, and seeing them fall apart after you had so much hope for them just crushes you. There is so much emotion in this story that it's easy to forget that your watching a movie and these people aren't actually real. As your experience their troubled journeys through life, their stories become as real as your own. 

My first experience watching Rent will definitely not be my last. Not only is it my favorite genre (musical), but it also contains an incredible cast portraying incredible characters on an emotionally unforgettable journey of trying to make it in New York. If you haven't already, you definitely have to watch this movie. Catch it on Netflix right here!