Traitor to my generation

I watched Rent a few weeks ago and have been meaning to say a few words about it.

My reaction? Meh.

Maybe if I'd seen it on the stage when it first came out I would have felt differently--I dunno. It came out when I was in high school and everyone made such a fuss over it. I'm sure part of the appeal was that it dealt with issues (like HIV and homosexuality) that hadn't really been addressed in contemporary musicals.

But here are my gripes:

I didn't love the music. Only a few of the tunes (like Seasons of Love, Tango Maureen, Out Tonight) actually stayed in my head after the movie was over. Also, I just like Tango Maureen. I like tangos. I like how they executed it where suddenly everyone's dressed all swank and tangoing in a ballroom. And Idina Menzel is my favorite anyway.

I don't love Adam Pascal's voice. And his long hair was lame. He looked better in the flashbacks where he was short-haired punky androgynous boy.

Maybe I just can't get into the thing because I've never been an HIV-infected young unemployed person in New York. Except I've been able to identify with other characters that were completely, completely different from me. I seriously felt like I'd become a cane-wielding old woman on a porch, shrieking, "Get a job, you punks!" Because really, they don't pay rent! And they think they shouldn't have to even though they're living in this huge loft that people would pay millions for. And we're supposed to admire them for their stance.

When Roger doesn't want to start a relationship with Mimi, his friends all act like he's the biggest jerk ever. But I'd think that if his last serious relationship was with an HIV-positive drug addict who died, it would actually make sense for him to avoid starting another one of those, especially with a girl who seems so completely reckless and oblivious about how to take care of herself. So yeah, I thought that was actually kind of right-thinking of him. Also? Shut up, Rosario Dawson. And put some clothes on.

Taye Diggs is the character you're not supposed to like--the one who sold out to The Man. Of course, I liked him. (If they were going for unlikeable then they should not have chosen Taye Diggs. I'm just sayin'. That man would have charisma if he were dead.) As I watched I kept thinking, "What! He's got a 5-year plan, people! He's the only one of you who is actually doing something! Also? He's just hot."

I think a big mistake was that they cast most of the original Broadway actors. Sure, they're great, but they're also in their mid-to-upper 30s now. It's harder to buy them as young struggling idealist kids who think they'll live forever and Only Need Their Dreams. Instead I wanted to yell, "Dude, you're 40! Don't you think it's time to grow up?"