No Day But Today
I saw Rent tonight.
Wow, wow, wow, wow. I laughed, I cried, I got choked up and sometimes, I forgot to breathe at how beautiful it was. It is definitely one of my Top 5 movies of the year.
It just really so full of emotion and energy and sheer joy of being alive and in love and feeling anything really. For a movie that has a large chunk of its ( Read more... )
Wow, wow, wow, wow. I laughed, I cried, I got choked up and sometimes, I forgot to breathe at how beautiful it was. It is definitely one of my Top 5 movies of the year.
It just really so full of emotion and energy and sheer joy of being alive and in love and feeling anything really. For a movie that has a large chunk of its ( Read more... )
She just has this contagious enthusiasm that muted Roger needs. Of course, he has the steadiness that she needs in return. That was something I loved about the two of them, and the chemistry they had. It's funny, because simply by listening to the soundtrack (the Broadway soundtrack in particular, simply because it's more complete as it has more of the "dialogue" in it, as much of it was originally sung), I always got the impression that Roger had only turned steady and sullen because of what happened to April. (The film left out the detail given quickly in the show by Mark, "Close on Roger, his girlfriend April left a note saying 'we've got AIDS,' before slitting her wrists in the bathroom.") I always assumed that he'd been wild and unsteady and only became strong because of April's death and his own journey through rehab, but watching the film you see that Roger (at least the way Adam played him), was always a center of comfort/strength in a way. Yes, maybe he was more open/talkative/reckless when he was involved with April (and drugs, unfortunately), but you see in the scene where she gets her test results that he always had a deep, compassionate soul - it perhaps gets heightened and developed due to his emotional trauma, but Mimi isn't the first that he displays it to. And there are echoes of that steadiness whenever he interacts with other people: be it Mark, Collins, or the entire Life Support group. He only loses his head with Benny (understandably) and with Mimi's self-destruction. I honestly don't know if that's Roger, or if it's the way Adam played Roger, having never been able to see the show, but it made him a much more compelling character for me once I saw the film. Because let's face it, before I could actually see him, I loved him based on the voice and looks alone. But the movie really made me fall for the whole of his character.
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Only yes. I went "wow" and my heart just...I think it's my favorite song in the whole wonderful soundtrack (and that's quite a feat, considering it has Out Tonight and Another Day in it).
That was something I loved about the two of them, and the chemistry they had
Oh yes. He would just take such good care of her *melts* And she makes him grin like a kid, which is equally wonderful. I actually love the fact that Roger is a bit older than Mimi. It makes sense in the context of his character. He's already been bruised pretty badly by life and she still has the utter recklessness of complete youth. And they do have sizzling chemistry. I love that even when he is rejecting her, he is devouring her with his eyes. And who can blame him? I would consider switching my sexual orientation for Mimi. She is burningly alive.
center of comfort/strength in a way. Yes, maybe he was more open/talkative/reckless when he was involved with April (and drugs, unfortunately), but you see in the scene where she gets her test results that he always had a deep, compassionate soul - it perhaps gets heightened and developed due to his emotional trauma, but Mimi isn't the first that he displays it to
Oh yes. And that is what I love most about him. I think the emotional trauma made him quieter and more withdrawn (I think in some ways being attracted to Mimi, even when he is still resisting draws him out a bit. He leaves the house etc). And it certainly made him unwilling to compromise on self-destruction: which is why he tries to help Mimi, but past a certain point just walks off because he sees he can't help her and he won't be codependent again. He paid a really hard high price for self-control and knowledge, but he did learn a lot. I do think the caring was always there, you are right. And he struggles with allowing himself to feel, understandably so, considering what happened earlier.
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And she makes him grin like a kid, which is equally wonderful. It's so amazing to see how she just lights him up. He begins so sullen and quiet (I adore the sequence in "Will I?" that transitions from him sitting in the loft to heading to the Life Support group), and when he is confronted with Mimi, who is so alive , he doesn't quite know what to do. He tries to shy her off ("I should tell you, I'm disaster"), but she counters his every move and they can't help but fall into each other, baggage and all.
I would consider switching my sexual orientation for Mimi. She is burningly alive. And she does have the best ass below 14th Street. Or any street for that matter.
I think the emotional trauma made him quieter and more withdrawn ...he tries to help Mimi, but past a certain point just walks off because he sees he can't help her and he won't be codependent again. He paid a really hard high price for self-control and knowledge, but he did learn a lot. He has learned and suffered so much that he emotionally shuts down because I don't think he can bear to watch it happen all over again. He tries so hard to save Mimi and she still spirals away from him. It's heartwrenching, because you know he cares and that it's killing him to watch her destroy herself, but he can only support her so far before he falls apart again. Chris Columbus cut the song "Goodbye Love" in half (it's in its entirety on the soundtrack), which is the only thing I'm still struggling with, because the second half is a confrontation between Mark and Roger regarding emotions, shutting down, and walking away - which is overheard by Mimi and is what leads her to go into rehab, although without Roger she can't hold herself to what she promises. She suddenly can't fight to be alive without him, and being without her is what makes him realize he needs to fight. And thus why the sap that I am loves the story so much.
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when he is confronted with Mimi, who is so alive , he doesn't quite know what to do. He tries to shy her off
I love that their interactions bring him out of his shell. You get the impression that he's just been sitting in the apartment and not going out at all and that Mark has tried to draw him outside in the past and couldn't, as his invitations have a tinge of resignation in them. But I think Mimi, even when he is trying to resist her as hard as he can, makes something come alive in him again (I love his line in I Should Tell You "I should tell you I forgot to smile until your candle burned my skin").
And she does have the best ass below 14th Street. Or any street for that
matter.
Heee. I love how she wiggles in at him and he both doesn't know where to look and can't look away. Poor Roger :P I do like that she is the agressive one, because let's face it, that was the only way Roger was ever going to get involved.
he emotionally shuts down because I don't think he can bear to watch it happen all over again
Yes, exactly. I got that in the movie even without the second half of Without You (though since it's on the Movie Album, does it mean it was filmed and will be in the deleted scenes? Please....)
It's heartwrenching, because you know he cares and that it's killing him to watch her destroy herself, but he can only support her so far before he falls apart again
Exactly. And I do love that he knows that. I love, love, love the scene in the alley where she goes to get her drugs and he just begs and pleads and you can't hear a word, and you can't even see his face but you can tell through his posture and gestures of how much of himself he is putting in this and then she still refuses and he just walks away. And it's heartbreaking and understandable at the same time. (Oh, and how much do I love him holding her when she is shivering in withdrawal, coaxing her through. It's probably my favorite Roger/Mimi scene and it's completely mute). Guuuuh.
She suddenly can't fight to be alive without him, and being without her is what makes him realize he needs to fight
Oh yes. Yes indeedy. You always put everything so well!
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A bit of a tangent about Mark. I love Mark because of his subtlety, the way he's learned to deal with everything he sees around him. It's painful for him, too but he hides it with more dexterity than Roger does - Mark's angst doesn't always lay on the surface. The lyrics in the second half of "Goodbye Love" always get me here - "You're always preaching not to be numb...you pretend to create and observe when you really detach from feeling alive!" and Mark's simple, heartbreaking response of, "Perhaps it's because I'm the one of us to survive!" He's facing the prospect of losing every single person he loves, in one way or another, and so he buries himself. And yes, thank goodness, this scene (along with the deleted "Halloween" which IMO is the best bit of character we get from Mark and it makes me sad it was cut) will be on the DVD. I wish Chris Columbus would edit them back in, but rumour has it they'll just be in bonus features. At least we will get to see them.
I love, love, love the scene in the alley where she goes to get her drugs and he just begs and pleads and you can't hear a word, and you can't even see his face but you can tell through his posture and gestures of how much of himself he is putting in this and then she still refuses and he just walks away. That scene is when I start to cry. He's so angry, his gestures are so hurt, and yet there's a moment when he grabs her shoulders and you know he just wants to hold her close, but instead he forces himself to push her away. And in this case, the fact that there's no sound only adds to the emotion. (That's why I love the mutness of the "ruminations" scene in ROTS.) You don't always need words to understand what's happening. It's really beautiful, even in how awful and wrenching it is to watch.
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Oh yes. It was then that it hit me that he is the only one without AIDS if you don't count Maureen and Joanne and that he will have to see all his loved ones die and it's horrible.
I am so glad that scene has been filmed and will be on DVD.
That scene is when I start to cry. He's so angry, his gestures are so hurt, and yet there's a moment when he grabs her shoulders and you know he just wants to hold her close, but instead he forces himself to push her away.
Oh yes. I started crying then too. Because it's his will and his mind against his heart and he doesn't want to give in and start yet another destructive cycle but you see it's killing him. Guuuh.
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Mark is watching every one of his friends waste away from disease, and he loses the woman he loves (and I do think he deeply, truly loves her) to someone else. Although I think a fondness and kindred spirit grows between Mark and Joanne that helps to patch that a little, I'm sure it still has to hurt him.
I am so, so glad they filmed it, too. They say that both scenes were cut because they were "too emotional" to handle on screen directly after the funeral sequence...Which obviously, having not seen the scenes, I can't agree or disagree with.
Because it's his will and his mind against his heart and he doesn't want to give in and start yet another destructive cycle but you see it's killing him. *nods* And it's something so compelling and attractive about his personality and his spirit. He has to choose, but I think he really has to discover himself first. He's been lost for too long, going from the wild rock and roll life of being with April, to suddenly plunging into angsty despair, to suddenly being in love again, that I think he honestly doesn't know who he is or what he wants. That's why it's essential that he get out on his own and "find his song" - which, he discovers, was Mimi from the beginning. *melts a little bit*
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