Disregarding all my love for Rent on stage, and all my respect for the actors, and yes, even my loathing of Chris Columbus' directorial attempts, the movie just doesn't work. Shots are so tediously placed to be "artistic" that it is distracting, and none of the actors really got their chance to show us their characters. There are some excellent parts (Santa Fe) and some terrible ones (What You Own Britney-style music video) but all in all it is mediochre. If you can't see the show on stage, see the movie. But do not judge the show by it. The experience is so different. I wouldn't recommend the movie to anybody unless they know that they will never get to see it on stage. It just feels flat and forced.Note how Roger and Mark throw their papers into the trash can to heat up their apartment. Then they grab hold of the aluminum can with their bare hands and toss the fire out the window. That is just something useless and distracting. The movie almost gets it right.