November 17, 2005 ( 2005-11-17 ) ( Ziegfeld Theatre ) November 23, 2005 ( 2005-11-23 ) (United States) Rent is a 2005 American musical drama film directed by Chris Columbus . It is an adaptation of Jonathan Larson 's 1996 Broadway musical of the same name , in turn based on the 1896 opera La bohème by Giacomo Puccini , Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa , which is itself based on the 1851 novel Scenes of Bohemian Life by Henri Murger . The film, which features six of the eight original Broadway cast members reprising their lead roles, [ a ] [ b ] depicts the lives of several bohemians and their struggles with sexuality , drugs , paying their rent, and life under the shadow of AIDS in the gritty East Village of New York City from 1989 to 1990. Rent was produced by Columbia Pictures , Revolution Studios , 1492 Pictures and Tribeca Productions and released by Sony Pictures Releasing on November 23, 2005. The film received mixed reviews from critics and failed to cover its production costs at the box office, grossing $31.7 million against a $40 million budget. The movie starts with 8 friends (Mark, Roger, Mimi, Collins, Angel, Maureen, Joanne, and Benny) standing on a stage in front of an empty audience singing "Seasons of Love". On Christmas Eve 1989, aspiring filmmaker Mark Cohen and his roommate, Roger Davis, learn that the rent previously waived by their old friend and now landlord, Benjamin "Benny" Coffin III, is due ("Rent"). Meanwhile, their former roommate, Tom Collins, shows up and gets mugged. Mark and Roger meet with Benny, who tells them he plans to evict the homeless from the nearby lot and build a cyber studio ("You'll See"). He offers them free rent if they get Maureen Johnson, Mark's ex-girlfriend, to cancel her protest against his plans, but they refuse. A street drummer, Angel Dumott Schunard, finds Collins, and they bond since they are both HIV positive. Roger, who is also HIV-positive as well as a former drug addict, tries to compose one last great song before he dies ("One Song Glory"). He's visited by his downstairs neighbor, Mimi Marquez, an erotic dancer and heroin addict who tries to convince him to do heroin together despite her own HIV+ status ("Light My Candle"). On Christmas Day, Mark and Roger are visited by Collins and Angel, now in full drag , bearing gifts ("Today 4 U"). They invite Mark and Roger to attend Life Support, an AIDS support group. Roger turns them down, while Mark goes to fix Maureen's sound equipment. He runs into Joanne Jefferson, Maureen's new girlfriend, who bonds with him as they discuss Maureen's promiscuity ("Tango: Maureen"). Mark arrives at the Life Support meeting ("Life Support"). He films the meeting for the documentary that he's making about people living with HIV/AIDS. That night, Mimi visits Roger ("Out Tonight"). Roger, whose ex-girlfriend died by suicide after discovering she (and Roger) were HIV positive, rebukes her advances and throws her out ("Another Day"). The next day, he joins Mark, Collins, and Angel at a Life Support meeting ("Will I?"). Leaving the meeting, the group imagines what it would be like to move to Santa Fe, New Mexico ("Santa Fe"). Roger and Mark leave to help Maureen set up for her performance, and Angel and Collins reveal they are falling in love ("I'll Cover You"). Maureen performs her song, which calls out Benny for changing who he was after getting married and blames him for trying to shut down the tent city ("Over the Moon"). The performance starts a riot because Benny called in police to make sure the protest stayed peaceful, but it escalates into violence. Once the protest is over, the group goes to The Life Cafe and celebrates Mark selling his riot footage to a local news station (" La Vie Bohème " or "La Vie Bohème A"). Roger and Mimi reveal they are falling for each other, and reveal they are HIV positive ("I Should Tell You"). They kiss, start a relationship, and continue celebrating with their friends ("Viva La Vie Bohème!" or "La Vie Bohème B"). On New Year's Day, the 8 friends (all except Benny) get back from celebrating (Seasons of Love B) when they find out that Benny has padlocked the apartment, but Angel breaks the lock with a garbage can. Mark takes a job at Buzzline, the television news program to which he sold his riot footage. After another fight, Maureen proposes to Joanne; the relationship ends when Maureen flirts with another woman at the engagement party (" Take Me or Leave Me "). After being persuaded by Mimi, his ex-girlfriend, Benny gives the group back their apartment. Over the following year, Roger grows distrustful of Mimi due to her massive usage of drugs, and their relationship ends ("Without You"). Angel becomes more ill and eventually succumbs to AIDS. At Angel's funeral on Halloween (I'll Cover You (Reprise)), the group goes their separate ways after a bitter argument, although Maureen and Joanne reconcile in the process (Goodbye Love). Roger sells his guitar, buys a car, and moves to Santa Fe. He eventually returns to New York because he still loves Mimi, while Mark quits his job at Buzzline to pursue his own film ("What You Own"). On Christmas Eve 1990, Mark and Roger reunite with Collins, who reveals that he has reprogrammed an ATM to dispense cash when someone inputs the code: A-N-G-E-L. Joanne and Maureen find Mimi on the streets, near death (Finale A). Mimi and Roger reconcile, and he sings the song that he has written over the past year (Your Eyes). Mimi appears to die but suddenly awakens. She tells them that she was heading to the light, but Angel told her to go back. As Mark's documentary is shown for the first time, the friends reaffirm that there is "no day but today" (" Finale B "). Anthony Rapp as Mark Cohen, a struggling Jewish filmmaker and Roger's roommate. He was dumped by Maureen for Joanne. Adam Pascal as Roger Davis, an HIV -positive ex- addict rock musician ; Mimi's love interest. Rosario Dawson as Mimi Marquez, an HIV -positive heroin addict and stripper; Roger's love interest. [ a ] Jesse L. Martin as Thomas B. "Tom" Collins, an anarchist and gay philosophy professor with AIDS; former roommate of Maureen, Roger, Mark, and Benny; Angel's love interest. Wilson Jermaine Heredia as Angel Dumott Schunard, a drag queen and street musician who is suffering from AIDS; Collins' love interest. [ 2 ] Idina Menzel as Maureen Johnson, a bisexual performance artist and Joanne's girlfriend; Mark's ex-girlfriend. Tracie Thoms as Joanne Jefferson, a lesbian Harvard -graduate lawyer and Maureen's love interest. [ b ] Taye Diggs as Benjamin "Benny" Coffin III, landlord of the building in which Mark, Roger, and Mimi live and ex-roommate of Collins, Roger, Maureen, and Mark. Aaron Lohr as Steve Sarah Silverman as Alexi Darling Wayne Wilcox as Gordon Anna Deavere Smith as Mrs. Jefferson, Joanne's mother Daryl Edwards as Mr. Jefferson, Joanne's father Daniel London as Paul Aisha de Haas as Blanket Woman 1 2 The Broadway originator in the role of Mimi, Daphne Rubin-Vega , was pregnant at the time of the movie's casting and filming. [ 1 ] 1 2 The Broadway originator in the role of Joanne, Fredi Walker , had been the oldest of the main cast when the stage production premiered in 1996 – older at that time than some of the main cast were by the time of the film. She stated that she was not offered the film role due to her age, but did request that the producers cast an actress of African descent for the film. [ 3 ] Alternate ending In addition to four deleted scenes , the DVD release of the film includes an alternate ending, showing all the main characters (including Benny, who was not present in the other ending) except Angel standing in the positions where they were during the " Seasons of Love " opening, all standing in a line of spotlights, with Angel's spot empty. Later in the scene, she enters from the side and walks down the line to take her place, stopping as she passes Collins to take his hand for a moment. Although this tableau is used in the finale of the musical, it was dropped from the film for fear that audiences may have wondered why Angel had returned or why the characters were lined up on stage again. In the commentary, Chris Columbus adds that he "didn't want audiences to think that everything was okay and Angel was alive again." Differences between the stage and film versions "Goodbye Love" was filmed in its entirety, but the second half was cut from the film because Columbus considered it somewhat of an emotional overload, as he states on the DVD's commentary track. The film leaves ambiguous the death of Roger's girlfriend April, who dies before Rent begins. In the film, she is seen reading a doctor's report that she is HIV positive ; it is stated that she has died, but nothing more is said. In the stage version, Mark explicitly states that April ended her life by slitting her wrists in the bathroom, and Roger found out about his HIV status in the suicide note. Chris Columbus states in the DVD commentary that a scene featuring April lying in the bathtub with her wrists slit was filmed, but cut because he thought it would be "too much". Rent: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the soundtrack album to the 2005 film of the same name. The two-disc soundtrack, containing 28 tracks, was originally packaged in eight different slipcovers, each featuring one of the eight most prominent characters in the film. " Seasons of Love " – Joanne, Collins, Mimi, Roger, Maureen, Mark, Angel & Benny "Rent" – Mark, Roger, Collins, Mimi, Benny & Tenants "You'll See" – Roger, Mark & Benny "One Song Glory" – Roger "Light My Candle" – Roger & Mimi "Today 4 U" – Angel & Collins, & Mark "Tango: Maureen" – Joanne & Mark "Life Support" – Mark, Angel, Collins, Gordon, Steve, Paul, Ali, Pam, & Sue "Out Tonight" – Mimi "Another Day" – Roger, Mimi, Collins, Mark & Angel "Will I?" – Roger, Angel, Collins, Mark, Gordon, Steve, Paul, Ali, Pam & Sue "Santa Fe" – Angel, Collins, Roger & Mark "I'll Cover You" – Angel & Collins "Over The Moon" – Maureen " La Vie Bohème " * – Cast of Rent "I Should Tell You" – Roger & Mimi " La Vie Bohème B " * – Cast of Rent "Seasons of Love B" – Cast of Rent " Take Me or Leave Me " – Maureen & Joanne "Without You" – Mimi & Roger "I'll Cover You (Reprise)" – Collins & Company "Halloween" (Deleted Scene) – Mark "Goodbye Love" * – Mimi, Roger, Benny, Maureen, Joanne, Mark & Collins "What You Own" – Roger & Mark "Finale A" – Mimi & Roger "Your Eyes" – Roger " Finale B * " – Cast of Rent "Love Heals" (Deleted Scene) – Cast of Rent Critical response On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 47% of 175 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.9/10. The website's consensus reads: "Fans of the stage musical may forgive Rent its flaws, but weak direction, inescapable staginess and an irritating faux-boho pretension prevent the film from connecting on screen." [ 4 ] Metacritic , which uses a weighted average , assigned the film a score of 53 out of 100, based on 35 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews. [ 5 ] Film critic Roger Ebert praised the film's performances but criticized its story, writing that he did not believe the film works on its own without "reference to the theatrical version." [ 6 ] David Rooney of Variety praised the performances of Rosario Dawson, Tracie Thoms, and Jesse L. Martin, but criticized the film's decision to enlist most of the show's original cast, writing that the choice raises questions as to why these people, "some of them clearly pushing 40", are still "floundering in artsy aimlessness." [ 7 ] Rent grossed $29.1 million in the United States and Canada, and $2.6 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $31.7 million, against a budget of $40 million. [ 8 ] List of Christmas films ↑ Gans, Andrew (October 13, 2012). "DIVA TALK: Chatting with Les Miz ' s Daphne Rubin-Vega PLUS News of LuPone, D'Abruzzo and Murphy" . Playbill . Archived from the original on August 6, 2023 . Retrieved August 5, 2023 . ↑ "MJ Rodriguez Talks Her Transition and Hamilton Audition | Playbill" . Playbill . June 7, 2016 . Retrieved October 30, 2018 . ↑ Billey, Catherine (September 4, 2005). "Nine Years in the Life" . The New York Times . Archived from the original on April 4, 2023. ↑ " Rent " . Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved August 3, 2023 . ↑ " Rent " . Metacritic . Fandom, Inc. Retrieved August 3, 2023 . ↑ Ebert, Roger (November 22, 2005). "Coming up a little short on 'Rent' " . RogerEbert.com . Retrieved March 7, 2023 . ↑ Rooney, David (November 20, 2005). "Rent" . Variety . Retrieved March 7, 2023 . ↑ " Rent " . Box Office Mojo . IMDb . Retrieved August 4, 2023 . Yahoo! Movies: Greg's Preview for Rent Tuesday Night Movie Club: Rent Script Review Playbill: Will Justin Timberlake Appear in Movie Version of Rent ? Playbill: Rent Film Aims to Start Production in Spring 2005 for Late-Year Release "Seasons of Love" Press Release , August 2, 2005 Movies On Line: RENT ...Stars For Rent Broadway World: Success of Rent Promises Good Tidings for Upcoming Broadway Films Official website Superbia (unproduced) Tick, Tick... Boom! (1993) J.P. Morgan Saves the Nation (1995) " La Vie Bohème " " Seasons of Love " " Take Me or Leave Me " Rent (2005 film) Rent: Filmed Live on Broadway (2008 film) Rent: Live (2019) Revolution Rent (2021) Tick, Tick... Boom! (2021) Rent albums (1996 / 2005) Tick, Tick... Boom! film soundtrack (2021) Jonathan Larson Performing Arts Foundation La bohème (Puccini) La bohème (Leoncavallo) La Bohème (1916 silent) La Bohème (1926 silent) La Vie de bohème (1945) La Bohème (1965)

La Vie de Bohème (1992) Rent (1996 musical) Rent (2005 film) Rent: Filmed Live on Broadway (2008 film) Rent: Live (2019) La Vie de Bohème (1969 album) La bohème discography " La Vie Bohème " " Seasons of Love " " Take Me or Leave Me " Adventures in Babysitting (1987) Heartbreak Hotel (1988, also written) Home Alone (1990) Only the Lonely (1991, also written) Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992) Mrs. Doubtfire (1993) Nine Months (1995, also written) Bicentennial Man (1999) Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001) Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) I Love You, Beth Cooper (2009) Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (2010) The Christmas Chronicles 2 (2020, also written) The Thursday Murder Club (2025, also written) Reckless (1984) Gremlins (1984) The Goonies (1985) Young Sherlock Holmes (1985) Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland (1989) Christmas with the Kranks (2004, also produced) Jingle All the Way (1996) Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) Night at the Museum (2006) Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009) The Help (2011) Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (2014) Mediterranea (2015) The Young Messiah (2016) Tallulah (2016) Patti Cakes (2017) I Kill Giants (2017) The Christmas Chronicles (2018) Nosferatu (2024) Galaxy High School (1986) 26th Street Pictures House of Secrets Chris Columbus's unrealized projects The Perks of Being a Wallflower (1999) Imaginary Friend (2019) The Four Corners of Nowhere (1995) The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012) Dear Evan Hansen (2021) Weekend Warriors (TBA) Beauty and the Beast (2017) Jericho (2006–08) 2005 drama films 2005 LGBTQ-related films 2005 musical films 2005 American films 2000s Christmas films 2005 English-language films 2000s musical drama films 26th Street Pictures films African-American LGBTQ-related films African-American musical films American musical drama films American rock musicals American bisexual women-related films Christmas musical films Columbia Pictures films Cross-dressing in American films English-language Christmas films English-language musical drama films Films about landlords Films based on musicals Films based on Scenes of Bohemian Life Films directed by Chris Columbus (filmmaker) Films produced by Chris Columbus (filmmaker) Films produced by Michael Barnathan Films produced by Robert De Niro Films produced by Jane Rosenthal Films set in 1989 Films set in 1990 Films set in New York City Films shot in New Mexico Films shot in San Francisco Films with screenplays by Stephen Chbosky American gay-related films HIV/AIDS in American films Jonathan Larson American lesbian-related films LGBTQ-related musical drama films Revolution Studios films Satellite Award–winning films American transgender-related films Articles with short description Short description matches Wikidata Articles needing additional references from February 2011 All articles needing additional references Use mdy dates from February 2026 Use American English from January 2025 All Wikipedia articles written in American English Template film date with 2 release dates IMDb ID (Cite Mojo) different from Wikidata