"Rent" is one of the most enjoyable and meaningful musicales i have ever watched. No wait, scratch that. It is one of the most enjoyable and meaningful movies of any genre. The story is so real, the issues so poignant, and the music so moving. It personifies the lives of people who encounter these issues in their own private lives.
You would think that with a title like "Rent" the story would revolve around landlords and the primary conflict will be a lease contract. Well, it was the opening of the movie, but it did not revolve around those issues (which for me would be better discussed in another movie altogether). Rather, Rent was about AIDS, drugs, homosexuality, struggle, friendship, and above all, love.
The story features the lives of eight people. Eight people soon united as lovers and friends within the span of one year. The story zooms in to the relationship of these people with one another vis a vis the issues of the contemporary world, i.e. drugs and AIDS. I remain strong not to include homosexuality because I believe that this is not a problem. The problem is how "normal" people cannot accept gay people. Thank God, the film fully accepts this notion. In fact, the film showed this aspect of life by portraying the ignorance/idiocy of "polite society." Not only did it criticize the disrespect given to gay people but it also opened the viewers to the other acts frowned upon by the status quo, e.g. S&M, bondage, etc. It belittles the norm by saying that concern for the aforementioned issues are nothing but triviality-- that there are some things more important than people's sexual appetites.
More than sex as an act however, the film delves into a deeper issue regarding sex, i.e. AIDS. Rent utilized the false notion of homosexuality as the breeding ground of this disease to further emphasize that this is a serious matter-- not only because of the dangers to the health of those who have it, but moreso because of the social stigma they face. It speaks of fear, of desperation. However, it also speaks of hope and a sense of justice for the victims. After all, those afflicted are only victims.
AIDS, as previously mentioned, is not bred within the homosexual arena. In fact, statistics prove that there are more straight male who have AIDS than all the homosexuals (gays and lesbians) combined. The number of straight female contracting this disease is also alarmingly high. It is because of these stats that we, as part of humanity, must act as one in helping those who are suffering from it. While it is understandable that some are averse to coming in actual contact with the victims-- after all, the education on AIDS is still not enough and people fear what they do not understand-- we can all start by not blaming the victims for their predicament. Instead of dishing out blaims, let us help propagate proper information so that we can combat the further spread of this disease.
AIDS is not the only disease discussed in the movie. Drug addiction also takes center attention as one of the vilest diseases plaguing the world. It preys on those who are weak. Those who are so desperate to at least momentarily forget the ugly lives they lead. It preys on those who are weak because their partners are weak. It is a disease actively looking for new victims because one more victim means one more profit-source. Unlike AIDS however, drug addiction is something that, when contracted, one can be fully healed. All it really takes is someone to care. Such is the example of Mimi and Roger. Roger, a former druggie himself, took conscious care for Mimi. Though at times he wavered, he was able to instill in Mimi a new hope for life. This is all those who in real life are afflicted need... someone to look after them, give them a renewed lease on life.
These are what Rent tells us, we need to start caring. Caring for those with AIDS, for those enslaved by drugs, and for everyone else. We need to start focusing on love instead of hate, on commonalities instead of differences, of hope instead of failures. Viva La Vie Boheme!
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