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This movie hit so close to home with me and I really cant wait to watch RENT next!

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Anonymous

Ohhh can't wait to watch this tonight!! I was hoping for this one.

SueBee

I’ll watch the reaction later, but I’m so glad it hit home for you the way I thought it would. I might have even said that somewhere, who knows. But yeah, it speaks to people who go through the creative process, especially composers/songwriters. RENT changed theatre me partly because I moved to NYC right when it was becoming a thing (and saw the original cast. Sorry, had to flex.) Unfortunately, none of the taped/film versions are nearly as good ( and some are truly awful) but the final Broadway performance is about as close as you’re going to get to the real deal. That’s the one I recommend you watch.

bethannie

to answer your early question: yes, Andrew Garfield did all his own singing, which he had never done before. short version of the story is Lin-Manuel Miranda (hamilton) asked his massage guy (and AG’s friend) if Andrew could sing, because AG was his first (and only really) for the film. massage guy says “oh yeah, he’s got a fabulous voice!” after LMM leaves guy calls AG and says “please God tell me you can sing cause i just told LMM you can.” 🤦🏼‍♀️ he took a year to work with a vocal coach and piano teacher, and tah-dah. He was nominated for an Oscar last year for this role.

Jenny V

There’s so much to say about tick tick boom. I don’t even know where to start honestly. So I’m just going to plug this video because it would literally be paragraphs of facts about who was in this movie and references etc. it’s your choice whether you want to react to this or watch it in your own time. https://youtu.be/MBxF24s4WrA There’s also original footage of Jonathan Larson doing tick tick boom on stage! Which just shows how accurate Andrew Garfield was in his portrayal, down to Jonathan’s mannerisms. https://youtu.be/w0nRmpUAUKI

Eva

Oh! I am so glad you watched it and enjoyed it! I love this movie and I will watch your reaction to it tomorrow! Thank you!!

SueBee

I’m going to give you a little context for some things in the movie. First, everybody who sang, sang. No vocal covering by someone else. Second, Stephen Sondheim. The man was a theatre god who changed the world of theatre completely. He wrote about things you never would think be a musical and yet somehow, they work. His compositions and wordplay are deceptively complex and just stunning. He also loved mentoring younger talent like Jon and… Lin Manuel Miranda. There would be no Hamilton without Sondheim and RENT. The show they reference of his is Sunday in the Park with George which is about the pointillist painter, George Seurat. Bradley Whitford did a pretty spot on Sondheim. Also the voice on the answering machine? Actually Sondheim and written by him as well. LMM showed him the scripted version and his response was basically, “I’d never say it like that.” There are A LOT of Broadway Easter eggs in here. First, Sunday. The song itself is one Jonathan wrote and never performed. Lin took it to Sondheim’s arranger who worked on Sunday in the Park and it has the same signature sound. Second, each actor in that song is either a broadway legend or an actor that made an impact. They each have nods to the characters they played as well. The one you noticed a real reverence towards was Bernadette Peters - original star in Sunday in the Park and just flat out legend. She was wearing a hat similar to the one she wore in the show and he guided her up on the word “light” which is one of the biggest themes of Sunday in the Park. The three homeless people they cut to? Original cast members of RENT who knew Jon. Adding one quick thing - the other composers sitting in the workshop where Jonathan first plays the show for Sondheim? They are all contemporary musical theatre composers and lyricists, some big names, some more niche, but all incredible. I love that Lin did this. Tons of little and big things that Jon put in RENT show up in here too. I don’t know how old/aware you were at the height of the AIDS epidemic, but the funerals he talks about? That’s a low number for someone in theatre. We lost a whole generation of talent to that disease. Michael is still alive, by the way. He was indeed one of the lucky ones. Believe it or not, I could keep going, but this is more than enough. Sorry for the length, I just thought some context might help.

Adam Pacio

Yeah Man. Stephen Sondheim was god on earth where musicals are concerned.

Adam Pacio

I love that Michael survived. I couldn't bring myself to watch this musical at first because Rent while sublime encapsulated the fear and tragedy and loss of the AIDS epidemic and government malicious negligence when they thought it was a gay disease only. Thanks for the back story.

SueBee

I ugly sobbed during RENT when I first saw it. The reprise of I’ll Cover You destroys me every time I hear it.

SueBee

Oh and do not get me started about the government and inaction on AIDS. It was unforgivable. That’s not even a strong enough word.

Ana

Omg I hope Rent is next 💜🖤

Eva

I’m so glad you connected with this story in this way. Thanks for sharing, thanks also for the crying session 😭 this movie still gets me like the first time I saw it. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Sarah Metzger

I loved watching this with you. Jonathan left this world far too soon, but we are fortunate to have the music he left. I cannot wait to see you watch Rent. If you can find a stage version, I'd recommend that, but I do love the movie version as well. It's tough b/c the stage version is obviously the original version, but the movie version has most of the original Broadway cast. Yes, they are older, but they still kill it. As for tick, tick...BOOM! The songs in this just give me chills. Johnny Can't Decide, Come to Your Senses and Louder Than Words destroy me. I'm so glad they turned it into a movie.

Anonymous

I agree that the live Broadway video is the best video experience of Rent. Considering the conditions under which it was made I think it's pretty good. The movie should be watched for the iconic performances of the original cast but the movie's director clearly didn't understand the structure of the show and mangled it.

Anonymous

The week of the original Broadway run of Rent was video taped. The resulting video is a little rough in spots but all things considered it's amazingly good. And can be seen on YouTube for free.

SueBee

Completely agree on both counts. It's probably worth watching the Tony Awards performance to get a feel for the OC as well. LOL I'm just sitting here, piling on things for John to watch.

Emma

And because it has Renee Elise Goldsberry! I remember John being impressed with her during the Hamilton reaction. Edit: Oh wait, I misread your comment! I meant the officially recorded stage version that doesn't have the original cast. There's pros and cons to each version.

Audrey

I joined for this reaction and am looking forward to the RENT one. I'm glad you enjoyed it, so many of his songs are still relevant and it makes me cry whenever I watch it. There's some highs and lows in RENT but I always find the soundtrack inspirational somehow.

Sacid Ve

OMG please do "RENT: Filmed live on Broadway" version and not the movie. no hate on the movie but the live version is other level. the experience is just so much deeper.