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Christina Dziedzic
Dr. Yates
ACS
6 May 2013
No Other Path, No Other Way
Millions of movies have been produced this century, but only a small minority of them
has had a great impact on society. In order for a movie to impact society, it must challenge how
people view themselves and the world around them. The film must cause viewers to think twice
about concepts previously ignored. Impactful movies force people to reexamine how they utilize
faith and reason. The movie, Rent has significantly impacted the way that popular culture thinks
about faith and reason because the characters place varying degrees of faith in God, people, and
situations and try to compensate for a lack of complete faith by using reason to deal with difficult
and even impossible problems. Their inability to have complete faith adds a depth of
believability to the characters because most people share this attribute.
Rent was released on November 23, 2005 by Revolution Studios. It grossed $29,077,548
(Yahoo! Inc.). Rent takes place entirely in New York City except a portion of one scene takes
place in Santa Fe. Ironically, only one scene was actually filmed in New York, in the Life Café.
The majority of scenes were filmed on a set at the Warner Brothers Studios in California. Other
shots were filmed out of studio in San Francisco and Santa Fe. This movie was an adaptation of
the highly successful musical, Rent, on Broadway, which began running in 1996. The hit play
was the seventh longest running Broadway show in history. It won the Tony Award for Best
Musical in 1996. Six of the eight leading movie actors were in the original Broadway cast
(Wisdom Digital Media).
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Since the movie was filmed during a recession, some viewers could sympathize with the
main characters’ poverty. In 2005, energy prices soared as a result of hurricanes Katrina and
Rita. Due to financial reasons, many people were forced to restrict their energy use (Yellen).
Two of the movie’s main characters are unable to afford heat and are forced to burn posters and
screenplays for warmth. The script includes vulgarity that mimics the lower class New Yorkers.
It also uses simple language to reflect the education of the characters. The only character to use
fancy vocabulary is Collins, who plays the role of a professor.
Rent also discusses the sensitive subject of AIDS. During 2005, over 2.8 million people
died globally from AIDS (BBC). Ever since AIDS was brought to America, many members of
society proclaimed the disease to be caused by immorality. Since many domestic AIDS patients
contracted the disease from using drugs or homosexual behavior, many members of society
claimed that they deserved the illness (Brown). Four of the eight main characters suffer from
AIDS. The viewers get to know the personalities and struggles of the characters causing them to
sympathize with the sick. When the AIDS patients are given a face and a story, it is difficult for
the viewers to judge them so harshly. The play’s author, Jonathon Larson, is quoted as saying
that he wanted to address the AIDS epidemic in a way that educated people in a novel manner.
Rent’s rock-operatic style appealed to a new type of audience that was ignorant of the AIDS
crisis. The film’s sympathetic portrayal of AIDS changed the way that popular culture viewed
the disease. Ever since the movie’s release, AIDS awareness and foundations has spread
throughout the world. Organizations such as AIDS Research Alliance have raised millions of
dollars for AIDS research (Cozby).
Chris Columbus worked as the producer, director, and screen play writer for Rent.
Before working on this film, he attended NYU Film School. His experience as a film director in
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New York relates him to the character, Mark Cohen. Mark is a film writer who tries to make it
as a successful film maker in the Big Apple. He says, “There are times when we're dirt broke,
hungry, and freezing, and I ask myself, why the hell am I still living here?” Mark chooses to
remain in New York, despite the many obstacles present, because he is willing to forgo luxuries
in an attempt to succeed and fulfill his dreams. Columbus also knows how difficult it is to be an
aspiring screenwriter in New York. While studying at NYU, Columbus struggled with finding
interested directors to purchase his screenplays. The first screenplay that he was able to sell was
never actually produced. Soon after the transaction, the director realized that making the movie
was an unwise financial decision. Columbus did not find success until years later when Steven
Spielberg took interest in his screenplay, Gremlins (Entertainment Media Group).
Rent, the Broadway musical, was written by Jonathan Larson. Larson was an acting
major at Adelphi University. He did not affiliate himself with a particular church, but he
believed that God is love, and the best place to find love is through the arts. Two of Larson’s
favorite plays were Jesus Christ Superstar and Godspell because they brought the Bible alive in
an entertaining manner. He also felt that these two plays preached acceptance of all people. Due
to Larson’s strong desire to prove to people that no one should be judged for being different, he
strived to bring God and love for all people to his Rent audience (Martin).
Larson composed the majority of the script and all of the song lyrics on his own. He
found inspiration from the opera, La Boheme. There are many subtle references to the opera in
this musical. For example, one of the characters, Mimi has the same name as a character from
La Boheme. In the song, “Light My Candle,” Mimi sings, “They call me / They call me Mimi”
(lines 90-91) which is a direct translation of Mimi’s Italian introduction in La Boheme
(IMDb.com, Inc.).
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Larson was not financially able to produce this show. He needed a grant to put his idea
into motion. The morning of Rent’s first Off-Broadway performance, Larson passed away from
a brain aneurism. His death was an inspiration for all of the actors and producers. They wanted
to make him proud. They thought the show’s success would be the best tribute possible for this
beloved man (Lipsky). Rent still remains Larson’s greatest legacy. The song, “One Song
Glory,” plays an ironic tribute to Larson’s life. It describes a song writer’s desire to write one
song that will give him a legacy before he dies of AIDs: “One song before the sun sets / Glory on
another empty life” (lines 19-20). Similarly, Rent acted as the vessel of Larson’s legacy.
The characters in this movie have faith in friends, healing, drugs, and sexual identity.
They have faith that their friends will support them throughout all their difficulties. They have
faith that they will find healing and comfort though love. The most well-known Rent song,
“Seasons of Love,” is played in the introductory scene. This song starts the movie out telling the
audience that it is not important how much time they have on earth but rather they need to
“Measure [their] lives in love” (line 32). At first the characters have faith that drugs will solve
their problems, but they soon realize their mistake and are drug-free by the end of the movie.
Many of the characters express homosexual and transgender behavior and these characters have
found faith that they are who they are meant to be. They are not ashamed of sexual identity; they
embrace it. The song “La Vie Boheme” goes through hundreds of abnormalities and claims that
none should be judged by others, “Let he among us without sin / Be the first to condemn” (2223). This line is a direct reference to the Gospel of John, when Jesus saves an adulteress from
being condemned to death by saying, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to
throw a stone at her” (NASB, John 8:7). As humans, we are all flawed individuals. We do not
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have the right to judge others until we are completely sinless. Since that will never happen, we
should never judge or believe that we are superior to other people.
The characters are forced to rely heavily on God. At times, these poor people do not have
money for rent or food. They simply need to have faith that they will be provided for. This
clearly reflects the Sermon on the Mount story in the Bible. There Jesus tells us not to worry
because God will provide for us: “Do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or
what you will drink…seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be
added to you” (Matt. 6:25-33). This film also shows how people need to help care for the poor.
Mark, who has practically nothing, tries to help a homeless woman. This is similar to the parable
about a woman who donated a few coins during church. The woman did not donate much, but
she donated all that she had. Therefore, she was valued more than the rich man who donated a
great amount of his excess wealth (Mark 12:41-44).
The character, Angel, brings all of the characters in this film together. In this way, she
serves as their guardian angel. At Angel’s funeral, Tom Collins claims, “Angel taught us to
believe in love.” Within the first five minutes of the movie, Angel is showing love towards
others. When Collins is coming to visit Mark and Roger for Christmas, he is mugged and
beaten. Angel finds a wounded Collins and cares for him. In this way, Angel is similar to the
Good Samaritan. She did not know Collins and yet she went out of her way to make sure that he
was cared for, just like the Good Samaritan stopped to help a complete stranger after he was
beaten and left on the side of a road (Luke 10:30-37). At Christmas, Angel wears a Santa dress
which reflects her giving nature. Angel’s funeral takes place on Halloween, which is her favorite
holiday. Halloween is a traditional holiday that relates to All Saints’ Day. This coincidence
compares Angel to a saint. When Mimi overdoses, she almost dies, but is revived. After she
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awakens, she says that she saw Angel at the end of the white light. Angel told Mimi to turn
around because her time on earth is not yet over. Angel’s presence at the white light reflects an
angel’s presence in Heaven. It is implied that Angel is watching over her friends from Heaven
(Sebesta).
The chorus of the song, “Today 4 U,” is “today for you, tomorrow for me.” This quote
can be applied to how we focus our lives. Today refers to our time here on earth. God put us on
this earth to help others, “Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who
wants to borrow from you” (Matt. 6:42). It is our job to live in a way that betters other people’s
lives. As a result, a person who spends their time focusing on others will receive eternal life:
“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another … whoever serves, as one who serves by
the strength that God supplies … To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever” (1 Peter
4:10-11). The greatest gift that a person can receive is admittance into Heaven. The “tomorrow”
in the quote refers to our afterlife. If a person lives for others now, they will be rewarded in
death “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matt. 5:9).
One of the most powerful moments in the movie occurs during a life support meeting. In
the song, “Life Support,” one of the secondary characters sings, “Look I find some of what you
teach suspect / Because I’m use to relying on intellect / But I try to open up to what I don’t know
because reason said I should have died three years ago” (lines 1-3). This quote emphasizes the
fact that illnesses cannot always be explained by science. God decides when it is a person’s time
to leave this earth, “And in Your book were all written, the days that were ordained for me,
when as yet there was not one of them” (Ps. 139:16). The man attends the life support group to
find community. He wants to be comforted by people facing situations similar to his own. This
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is similar to a person who looks for community in a church setting. Many church goers often
attend church to find support from people with similar beliefs.
This movie not only focuses on faith, but also contains a strong presence of reason.
Many characters try to take a reasonable, and at times immoral, approach to their finances
because they lack complete faith. The main character, Collins, is a teacher of computer age
philosophy. He has trouble relying on God in difficult situations. Instead of trusting God to
provide for him, he tries to use reason to deal with his poverty. He uses his intelligence to rewire
an ATM so that they have access to money in emergencies. His inability to trust in God results
in him stealing to provide for him and his friends.
When Mark is desperate for money, he is willing to compromise his principles for a
paycheck. He conforms to corporate America and begins to shoot segments for the tabloid
network, Buzzline. Mark is willing to throw out his journalistic integrity in order to make ends
meet. The characters do not have money to eat until Angel is hired by a rich woman to perform
odd jobs. The characters originally did not pay rent because they were friends with the rich
landlord. The landlord did not need to take their money in order to live a luxurious life. It is
only after a disagreement that he begins to charge them out of spite and manipulation. These
characters logically know that they need money to survive, so they discontentedly deal with this
harsh and unfair treatment.
The song, “What You Own,” describes the devastating state that America is in. People
care more about material possessions than they do other people. Materialism is taking over
society, and people need to open their eyes before it is too late. People do not want to realize
what they are doing is wrong: “That drip of hurt, that pint of shame / Goes away, just play the
game / You're living in America” (lines 18 – 20). Anything goes in this messed up society.
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People are encouraged to make money in any way that they can: “Leave your conscience at the
tone / And when you're living in America at the end of the millennium / You're what you own”
(lines 35-37). People in society lack proper faith and try to search for reasonable solutions to
their problems.
The film begins with the characters living in fear. They are afraid of dying because
doctors have told them that they only have a few years left to live. They try to live each day to
the fullest because they do not know how many they have left. The song, “Another Day,” claims
that “There's only us / There's only this / Forget regret or life is yours to miss” (lines 28-30).
Their rational approach to their time left on earth results in them making poor decisions such as
their temporary drug use.
One of the strongest examples of when reason is portrayed through a lack of faith in
certain circumstances occurs when the gender of the characters is determined by personal
preference, not God’s creation. The main character, Angel, was born with the body of a male but
identifies herself as a female. The only time that Angel dresses like a man is in the first scene
and when she is severely suffering from AIDs. Even on her death bed, her friends paint her nails
so that she will feel pretty before she dies. The liberals of New York live their life according to
reason and try to neglect faith when it does not coincide with their personal beliefs.
Most of the issues in Rent are dealt with through faith. However, reason is brought into
the equation when their personal faith is not enough to overcome the obstacle. Most of the
characters try to rely on God for food and shelter, but a few of them have weak faith and seek
reasonable, and at times immoral, solutions to their problems. Each character has a different
degree and approach to faith and reason. While each has unique ideas, none of them appear
better than any others because none of the characters are perfect, just like no human being is
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perfect. Rent teaches viewers that it is acceptable to have different beliefs than others.
Questioning and challenging a person’s faith should not be frowned upon but rather encouraged.
Being open to other people’s life perspectives can only help someone grow as a person. The
person is either able to strengthen his or her current beliefs or revise and improve his or her
beliefs. Hastily judging people with different opinions can only prevent a person’s growth.
After viewing Rent, the audience realizes how different people are from each other.
These differences should not be condemned but rather celebrated. If people follow the messages
portrayed in Rent, there would be a significant decrease in hate crimes. When people learn to
truly accept others despite their differences, there will be no more hate left on this earth. There
would be no need for violence or wars. Verbal attacks or slanderous words will no longer
remain. All that would endure is love. How we choose to live our lives leaves an imprint on
society. The choice to leave a legacy of love or hate is a personal one. In my opinion, people
should start to “measure [their] lives in love.”
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"Bible Gateway." New American Standard Bible (NASB). The Lockman Foundation, n.d. Web.
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Brown, Harold. "AIDS: The Moral, Medical, and Spiritual Challenge." Journal of Biblical Ethics
in Medicine 6.2 (n.d.): 18-26. Web.
Cozby, Paul. "The Reasons for 'Rent's' Success." About.com Theater. About.com, n.d. Web. 10
Apr. 2013.
Entertainment Media Group. "Chris Columbus Bio." Chris Columbus Biography and
Filmography. Tribute Entertainment Media Group, n.d. Web. 20 Feb. 2013.
IMDb.com, Inc. "Rent." IMDb. IMDb.com, 2013. Web. 4 Apr. 2013.
Lipsky, David. "We Begin." Everything Is Rent. Angelfire, n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2013.
Martin, Patrick. "Jonathan Larson: The Man Behind the Magic." Oasis Magazine. Oasis, n.d.
Web. 5 Apr. 2013.
Oxfam. "The Cost of Inequality: How Wealth and Income Extremes Hurt Us All." Oxfam Media
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Sebesta, J. "Religion in RENT." Religion in RENT. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2013.
Yahoo! Inc. "Rent(2005)- Production Details." Yahoo! Movies. Yahoo! Inc., n.d. Web. 18 Feb.
2013.
Yellen, Janet L. "News and Events." The Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco: Economic
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